The Hotel Balzaar

The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo is a whimsical and magical story that continues the journey in the world of Norendy, following The Puppets of Spelhorst. In this second novella of a trilogy, Marta lives at the Hotel Balzaar, a place where stories unfold in unexpected ways. Marta's mother works tirelessly as a hotel maid, leaving Marta to explore the hotel?s grand lobby and its mysteries. Marta quietly roams, visiting the bellman, admiring a painting of an angel's wing, and watching the playful antics of a cat and mouse. Amidst her adventures, she dreams of the return of her father, a soldier who has gone missing.

One day, a mysterious countess arrives at the hotel with a parrot, claiming to have seven stories to tell—stories that unfold in a specific order. As the countess weaves her tales, Marta begins to wonder whether the answers to her father's disappearance might be hidden within these stories. The book blends a sense of longing and hope with a magical atmosphere, illuminated by elegant illustrations by Julia Sarda, and masterfully explores themes of belief, mystery, and the power of storytelling.