Hotel Balzaar

I've been on hold for Kate DiCamillo's new book Hotel Balzaar and got it from the library this week. It's another "Norendy Tale," so basically a companion book in the same world as Puppets of Spelhorst. The book description reads, "At the Hotel Balzaar, Marta’s mother rises before the sun, puts on her uniform, and instructs Marta to roam as she will but quietly, invisibly—like a little mouse. While her mother cleans rooms, Marta slips down the back staircase to the grand lobby to chat with the bellman, study the painting of an angel’s wing over the fireplace, and watch a cat chase a mouse around the face of the grandfather clock, all the while dreaming of the return of her soldier father, who has gone missing. One day, a mysterious countess with a parrot checks in, promising a story—in fact, seven stories in all, each to be told in its proper order. As the stories unfold, Marta begins to wonder: could the secret to her father’s disappearance lie in the countess’s tales?"

I enjoyed this book. The small girl living in a hotel gave me the happy vibes of Eloise and A Gentleman in Moscow, both stories I really enjoy. I loved Marta as a character and her relationship with the countess and how things all tied together in the end. It was a short and sweet story and just the classic feel of the Kate DiCamillo writing style.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Fly on the Wall

I saw Fly on the Wall by Remy Lai on display at the library and started to read it while hanging out at the library for awhile (while Ollie was reading). The book description says, "Henry Khoo's family treats him like a baby. He’s not allowed to go anywhere without his sister/chaperone/bodyguard. And he definitely CAN’T take a journey halfway around the world all by himself! But that’s exactly his plan. After his family’s annual trip to visit his father in Singapore is cancelled, Henry decides he doesn’t want to be cooped up at home with his overprotective family and BFF turned NRFF (Not Really Friend Forever). Plus, he’s hiding a your-life-is-over-if-you’re-caught secret: he’s the creator of an anonymous gossip cartoon, and he's on the verge of getting caught. Determined to prove his independence and avoid punishment for his crimes, Henry embarks on the greatest adventure everrr. . . hoping it won’t turn into the greatest disaster ever."

This was a fun, quick read. It caught my interest right away, and I finished it within a couple days (which has not been my track record lately). I liked that it had some illustrations throughout, and I liked the journal format where Henry was just kind of figuring himself out. I thought it had some relatable messages for kids (helicopter parents, friendship issues, doing things you regret, etc.) and overall just an enjoyable read. I think I'll look for the author's other book Pie in the Sky next since I've heard good things about it.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)