Puppet
by David Almond; illus. by Lizzy Stewart
Intermediate    Candlewick    240 pp.
9/24    9781536239171    $18.99
e-book ed.  9781536239966    $18.99

In this fable/fantasy, Almond (Brand New Boy, rev. 5/22) revisits his signature theme of what it means to be human. Silvester, an elderly puppet-maker and performer, retires, giving his puppets to a museum and then wondering what to do with the rest of his life. Using bits and remnants, he fashions one last puppet, a wooden marionette the size of a seven-year-old. “Puppet,” who passes as “Kenneth” out in the world, comes to life, learning to walk, speak a few words, laugh, and enjoy jam. Through Puppet, Silvester makes friends with neighbor Fleur and her mother. Fleur becomes Silvester’s apprentice and together they all—adults, children, and Puppet—perform a play in the town square. The sadness of this tale is built in from the outset. Silvester is an old man, lucky enough to be able to pass on his legacy of skill and passion, but mortal nonetheless. But what of Puppet? What becomes of a doll when its creator and animator dies? The denouement is classic Almond: sweet, strong, consoling, and with an echo of his masterwork, Skellig (rev. 5/99). (Think wings.) In short chapters, generously illustrated with pencil drawings in spots and panels, we are treated to a singular story with wide-ranging takeaways concerning community, loneliness, memory, the magic of theater, and the joy of making.

From the ">November/December 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.