Lost Evangeline

The Norendy Tales

by Kate DiCamillo, Sophie Blackall (Illustrator)

Two-time Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo reunites with two-time Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall in an original fairy tale set in the world of The Puppets of Spelhorst and The Hotel Balzaar.

When a shoemaker discovers a tiny girl (as small as a mouse!) in his shop, he takes her in, names her Evangeline, and raises her as his own. The shoemaker’s wife, however, fears that Evangeline has bewitched her husband, so when an opportunity arises to rid herself of the girl, she takes it. Evangeline finds herself far from her adopted father and her home, a tiny girl lost in the wide world. But she is brave, and she is resourceful, and with the help of those she meets on her journey—including a disdainful and self-satisfied cat—she may just find her way again. Return to the magical land of Norendy in this third original fairy tale by renowned storyteller Kate DiCamillo, perfect for savoring alone or for reading aloud with someone you love. Graced with exquisite black-and-white illustrations by Sophie Blackall, this timeless story of a girl and her father will make you believe in the impossible.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Childrens, Fiction, Adventure, Fairy Tales, Juvenile

160 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2025

About the author

Kate DiCamillo, the newly named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature for 2014–2015, says about stories, “When we read together, we connect. Together, we see the world. Together, we see one another.” Born in Philadelphia, the author lives in Minneapolis, where she faithfully writes two pages a day, five days a week.

Kate DiCamillo's own journey is something of a dream come true. After moving to Minnesota from Florida in her twenties, homesickness and a bitter winter helped inspire Because of Winn-Dixie - her first published novel, which, remarkably, became a runaway bestseller and snapped up a Newbery Honor. "After the Newbery committee called me, I spent the whole day walking into walls," she says. "I was stunned. And very, very happy."

Her second novel, The Tiger Rising, went on to become a National Book Award Finalist. Since then, the master storyteller has written for a wide range of ages, including two comical early-chapter-book series - Mercy Watson, which stars a "porcine wonder" with an obsession for buttered toast, and Bink & Gollie, which celebrates the tall and short of a marvelous friendship - as well as a luminous holiday picture book, Great Joy.

Her latest novel, Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures, won the 2014 Newbery Medal. It was released in fall 2013 to great acclaim, including five starred reviews, and was an instant New York Times bestseller. Flora & Ulysses is a laugh-out-loud story filled with eccentric, endearing characters and featuring an exciting new format - a novel interspersed with comic-style graphic sequences and full-page illustrations, all rendered in black and white by up-and-coming artist K. G. Campbell. It was a 2013 Parents' Choice Gold Award Winner and was chosen by Amazon, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and Common Sense Media as a Best Book of the Year.

Reviews

[Carolyn Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t express the pure joy I feel when Kate DiCamillo writes a new story! She has been, and remains to be, one of my most beloved authors.

Kate DiCamillo captures the beauty, wonder, and hardships of life in such an honest way. Her love for the world, and for storytelling, is expressed clearly and eloquently in each and every one of her books.

Her tales are timeless and universal. Like the sun, they light our lives with brilliant golden rays.

[Kim Novak (The Reading Rx) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like this is a magical hodgepodge of Thumbelina, Pinocchio, and Alice in Wonderland to the tune of a sea shanty. Literary witchcraft I tell you.

[imogen · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute and dark as heck as per usual

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A shoemaker finds a tiny baby hidden in a shoe, and the little girl grows up to be as small as a mouse. He names her Evangeline after a beautiful ship, and the two dream of going to sea someday. The shoemaker's wife thinks Evangeline's small size is a sign of bewitchment, and resents her husband's love for his adopted daughter. She sells Evangeline for a sack of money, but Evangeline escapes and searches for her father. Along the way, Evangeline gets help from a reluctant cat and a scared boy, but she finds the courage and resilience to inspire them to join her in her adventures.

I really liked Evangeline's character! She is spunky and brave in the face of huge odds. She never gives up, and she believes the best of people, hoping to inspire them to see their own possibilities. I love a good under-dog story, and Evangeline has that tenacious hope that holds on in the darkness until the day dawns again.

The story is told with a lovely old-fashioned style that is quite elegant in its brevity. Every word fits exactly where it should, and no words are wasted. The result is a powerful writing style that tugs at your emotions!

I loved the pretty illustrations through the book which really bring forward the emotional pathos of the story. The artwork makes this story truly special!
This chapter book is perfect for young readers ages 7-10 who are reading on their own, but not ready for lengthy books yet.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.

[DaNae · Rating 4 out of 5]

A shoemaker and his small daughter, who can fit in the palm of her father’s hand, long for the adventure of the sea. It is worth the loss to get there?

I love moving through this magical, bittersweet world DiCamillo has created. The small glimpses of humanity shine through, even in a self-centered marmalade cat.

The afterward is in this book is particularly moving.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A shoemaker dreams of the sea, but in his daily life he finds a different kind of treasure: a small girl, curled up and tucked into the squared-toe boot of a pair dropped off at his shop. As their bond grows, they share dreams of the sea — dreams that stir old longing in him. His wife, feeling left behind, grows jealous and afraid that those dreams may one day carry him away.

This modern parable explores marriage, longing, and the ache of lost dreams — dreams that take shape in the form of a girl who sings like an angel. When she disappears, the shoemaker sets out across the seas to find her — as she searches for him in turn.

It almost feels unfair to pair two artists as masterful as Kate DiCamillo and Sophie Blackall, but they are truly brilliant together. The first two acts of the story are gorgeously written — lyrical, modern-gothic, with an echo of *The Wolves of Willoughby Chase* in tone. However, I found the final section (the coda) lacking. It felt rushed and unbalanced compared to the careful pacing of the earlier parts, and it left too much unresolved — particularly for a young reader. The ending doesn’t quite land, especially for those who crave a sense of closure.

That said, this is a remarkable book in atmosphere and tone, and I loved the quiet magic of its world — I just wish the final pages had given the story the resolution it deserved.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Lyon.Brit.andthebookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Report: Lost Evangeline

My Thoughts: Kate DiCamillo has done it again ✨Lost Evangeline is a magical new addition to the Norendy tales and I was completely swept away. When a shoemaker discovers a girl no bigger than a mouse 🐭 and names her Evangeline…my heart melted instantly. The bond between them is tender and true 💕and the story unfolds like a timeless fairytale complete with danger…wonder and even a perfectly grumpy cat 🐈Evangeline is brave…clever and impossible not to root for. Every page made me feel like I was right there following her on this brave little journey. DiCamillo’s storytelling + Sophie Blackall’s enchanting illustrations 🖤 = pure bookish magic. This one begs to be read aloud, savored slowly and treasured ✨📖

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[Cris (Shadows In My Pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

review coming soon

[Barb Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

She writes for children but speaks to the adult reader as well. This fairy tale of a girl the size of a thumb is about her finding an adoptive father and mother, except the mother is afraid of her. The girl, Evangeline becomes lost and tries to get home with the help of a cat. While themes of loss, acceptance, and family are obvious for young readers, the adult might see the father’s lost dreams, the predator character, and desire for love on a deeper level. Dicamillo is one of my favorite authors!

[Leonard Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate DiCamillo and Ann Patchett did a joint Library of Congress event (it’s on YouTube) in which Patchett, kinda outta nowhere, calls DiCamillo the E.B. White of our generation. I don’t know—this is more Thumbelina than Stuart Little, and I think one could make a better argument that DiCamillo is our Hans Christian Andersen. DiCamillo might even know it, as she places the lantern in a small town in Denmark at the very end of the book. Or maybe she is equally striving to be the child’s Psalmist. They that go down to the sea in ships and all. Or, there go the ships: there is that Leviathan. (Evangeline had seen it in her mind.) There is something of psalmody in her shanty, “O, the world is large, so mind how you sail, sir. The waters are deep sir. You must mind how you sail. These waters will swallow you whole, sir.”

The second half is very different from the first. I wanted the first half never to stop—I think it’s arguably the greatest thing DiCamillo has ever written—but the second does make the book stranger and uncanny and so may have been necessary.

[Libby Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story of a small girl the size of a thimble who is separated tragically from her father. She befriends a marmalade-colored cat and a young tailor on her journey to find her father at sea.

We love the dream team of Kate DiCamillo and Sophie Blackall. Their work complements each other’s creativity so well.

This had all the whimsy and heartbreak of a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. The ending was not as satisfying as we’d hoped but I know it will be one we come back to again.

The characters are perfectly flawed which leaves lots of food for thought.

[Cindy Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Thumbelina inspired tale follows a tiny girl on harrowing adventures in her little village. Evangeline, despite her small size, has big dreams of traveling the high seas. Her adoptive father shares her dreams, and has inspired a love of all things related to the sea in Evangeline. The only problem is her adoptive mother - she is convinced that Evangeline is bewitched and causes all sorts of trouble as a result. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall (a favorite among illustrators), this small tale will keep you entertained - and maybe inspire you to take your own adventure. Evangeline may be small, but she is mighty - she thinks quickly on her feet and she is not afraid of much in this world.

I always love how I become completely immersed in DiCamillo's stories, and no matter how short they are, they feel like epic tales. I can't wait to read the next short tale set in this fictional locale of Norendy.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adorable, sweet little original fairy tale about a girl as small as a mouse that finds home and then loses it, and her adventures to return home again.

This was the perfect little palate cleanser I needed!

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for me.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story of the lure of the sea, a father’s love for his tiny daughter, and how songs connect us, no matter the time and distance.

[Meggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another lovely, lovely tale by the wonderful Kate DiCamallo. It was a special joy to read aloud to my four year old who “loved that one.”

[Janet L Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to live in Norendy. ♥️♥️♥️

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story gave me warm and fuzzies, and I love the illustrations.

[YSBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

A shoemaker, who always wanted to be a sailor, finds a tiny girl in the toe of a boot.  Despite his wife’s lack of maternal instinct, he adopts the little one and names her Evangeline. They become inseparable, with Evangeline spending her days on her father’s workbench and hiding whenever customers come, and riding in his pocket to go to town and look at the sea. Under her father’s tutelage, Evangeline learns of the lore and the lure of the sea and becomes a gifted singer. The shoemaker’s jealous wife takes it upon herself to sell little Evangeline to a rich old woman, at whose home she meets a haughty marmalade cat.  The cat reluctantly agrees to help her escape, in hopes of seeing the sea, but when they return to the shoemaker’s home it is clear that he has left in search of Evangeline.  She parts company with the cat, who sets out to seek out nautical adventure, leaving Evangeline lost and alone, but still singing.  Unfortunately, her voice draws the attention of Stumphaulf, a cruel man who owns a 'traveling curiosity show,' and he captures her in a butterfly net.  The cat, who witnesses that scene, encounters the bereft father, and somehow conveys that the loss of the little girl means that the shoemaker can now fulfill his childhood dream.  Both cat and man embark on a ship, while the captive Evangeline convinces Strumphaulf’s tailor to help her escape.  In a bittersweet final chapter entitled “Coda,” the intertwined yet separate fates of the father and daughter are revealed.  

This poignant tale could only come from the imagination of Kate DiCamillo.  Although it features classical, archetypal characters, it also carries a modern sensibility, such as when Evangeline, in her first abduction, thinks “this… is what becomes of those of us who are feared because we are different.”  The “courageous, clever, and kind” Evangeline uses the power of storytelling and song - sometimes sharing her gifts, sometimes withholding them - to make her way in the world despite so many obstacles, but it is love that drives her.  The language is descriptive, somewhat formal, and rich in vocabulary, but that will not be a deterrent for most readers who will delight in the idea of a tiny girl, the size of a mouse, and her adventures.  The story is told in two books, each divided up into short chapters, and highlighted by grayscale illustrations (done with ‘real and digital pencils’), which have a folk-art aesthetic. Sophie Blackall presents key moments in intricate detail, using a variety of vantage points and perspectives, which will help readers understand the scale of tiny, lost Evangeline in contrast to the world around her. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
The author is a master storyteller, and readers can imagine hearing the narrator’s voice. The tiny girl, Evangeline, may remind them of Hans Christian Anderson’s Thumbelina. The simple, heartfelt story features rhythmic lines and repetition that almost sound like the narrator is reciting a poem. Evangeline’s special talent is singing, and the lyrics of her song often evoke feelings of love and wonder. Evangeline’s father has always wanted to sail the seas, and they dream of future adventures aboard a fine ship.
Fairy tales often feature character flaws, and the cobbler’s wife suffers from greed, jealousy, and fear. She worries that her husband has been bewitched, so she never accepts Evangeline as a member of the family. In contrast, the cobbler immediately feels a strong affection for Evangeline, and they quickly form a close, loving bond. Their affection for each other permeates the story, and their separation leaves readers with hope that they’ll eventually be reunited. Minor characters create conflict or assistance, and the cat has an especially memorable personality. Evangeline’s kindness will evoke new, positive emotions in the self-centered cat.
What didn’t work as well:
The plot’s resolution may not satisfy readers, as it leaves much to the imagination. There isn’t a clear happy-ever-after ending, but there is a feeling of wonder and hope.
The final verdict:
The author’s writing style consistently delivers engaging, poignant stories, and this book is no exception. The sweet relationship between father and daughter is sure to tug on heartstrings, and I recommend you try this book for yourself.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lost Evangeline is the third book in the Norendy tales, which includes The Puppets of Spellhorst and The Hotel Balzaar. It's a story filled with wonder, love, dreams and determination. Evangeline is a very resourceful and brave young girl. Not only does she sneak away at night, she's going out into the dark and unknown. And who does she encounter first but a "huge, marmalade colored cat." Yikes! Evangeline has many adventures while searching for her father and is put into quite a few precarious situations. At one point she is even imprisoned in a cage by an unscrupulous man who wants her to perform in his oddities and curiosity show. Yet, she never seems to get down during these moments. Instead she begins to tell stories and sings to the people and animals that she encounters, emboldening them to overcome their own fears or misgivings, and to search out their own dreams. The CODA finds Evangeline and the shoemaker sailing upon separate ships, which felt incomplete to me. It made me sad but also hopeful with them both having lit lamps at their side. As if they'd search for each other forever. The story includes wonderful black and white illustrations by Sophie Blackall. Read this if you enjoy Kate DiCamillo's books or if you're looking for a unique fairytale.

[Robin Berman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful yet sad story about a very tiny girl who mysteriously appears in a boot in a shoemaker's shop. He adopts her and becomes her father.

Everything is wonderful until his jealous wife sells Evangeline to a wealthy woman who thinks she can heal with her beautiful singing.

Evangeline escapes with the "marmalade" orange striped cat, to go back to the shop to find her father. We find out that Evangeline can talk to animals! The cat character is funny and so typical for a 🐈 cat's personality.

Next a series of unfortunate events unfolds. The girl and shoemaker miss each other as he had already left looking for her. How they missed each other on the path is odd. The girl and cat go to the sea - the harbor where she went with the shoemaker. The cat leaves her crying on a rock, when she sings she attracts a bad guy. The circus attraction guy from the previous book who had the parrot 🦜 at one time. He captures her, and the cat didn't intervene which was awful.

The shoemaker goes to sea hoping to find her. Meanwhile the girl escapes with a young boy, and they also go to sea. The book doesn't say if they ever find each other.

The writing and illustrations were excellent.

[Pete Springer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Norrendy Series by Kate DiCamillo. It's for young middle grade readers. The plot is simple. A shoemaker finds a tiny girl inside a shoe. When no one come back to claim the girl or the shoes, he raises her like a daughter. The shoemaker has always dreamed of sailing on the open seas, but he's suppressed these desires for a long time because his wife thinks they're silly. Sharing his dream with Evangeline stirs something within both of them, and this becomes their mutual goal. The shoemaker's wife is jealous and also fearful of Evangeline, believing that witchcraft or magic may have something to do with her existence. Without her husband's knowledge, the wife sells the little girl for several pieces of gold. The shoemaker is angry and tries to follow the few clues he can find to bring her home, not knowing if she is even alive.

This short story is similar to a fairy tale and centers around the themes of perseverance, bravery, and following your dreams. As always, DiCamillo incorporates some wonderful vocabulary that will likely be new for many children. I think this book is one that would be ideal for younger kids (3rd and 4th grade) who enjoy fantasy and using their imaginations.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This third Norendy Tale may be my favorite yet. When Kate DiCamillo and Sophie Blackall combine their talents, readers are in for a treat!

What will you find when you open this third installment in the land of Norendy?

👧A tiny, thimble-sized girl named EVANGELINE who sings like an angel.

👢The SHOEMAKER who finds a the miniature girl in a boot and cherishes her like a daughter.

👵The WIFE of the shoemaker who makes a momentous decision about Evangeline.

🐈A MARMALADE cat who dreams of going to sea.

👴A curiousity exploiter named STUMPHAULF who seeks to profit from those who are different.

👦A boy named THEODORE who longs for freedom on the seas.

That is our cast of characters. What will we learn from their story? Will a father finally find the little daughter he seeks so diligently? Will a marmalade cat pay his debt? Can a boy dare to escape his captor? These questions and more will be answered in this captivating and beautifully illustrated tale. Spend some time with Lost Evangeline and hear her song.

Thank you to Candlewick and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Lost Evangeline felt like stepping into a fairy tale I didn’t know I needed. Kate DiCamillo’s storytelling has this way of feeling both timeless and brand new, and paired with Sophie Blackall’s illustrations, it’s pure magic!

I was instantly captivated by the shoemaker who discovers a tiny girl in his shop and loves her as his own. My heart ached when Evangeline was taken from him. She's so small, so vulnerable, and yet so brave. Watching her journey through the world, meeting allies and a wonderfully snarky cat, I couldn’t help but root for her at every turn.

This isn’t just a story about being lost, it's about finding courage, love, and the strength to believe in impossible things. It has that classic fairy tale rhythm, but it also feels deeply human. I can already tell it’s one of those books I’ll want to read aloud, to share the wonder and hope tucked into every page.

By the end, I was smiling through tears. Lost Evangeline reminded me why I fell in love with stories in the first place!

⚡️Thank you Candlewick Press and Kate DiCamillo for sharing this book with me!

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: There was once a boy who longed to go to the sea.

Premise/plot: An unhappily married man--a shoemaker--finds a little girl the size of a thumb. Together these two dream of going to sea. Perhaps one of them or even both of them believe it. His wife--remember how unhappily married he is--despises the girl, Evangeline. She sells Evangeline as an oddity to a rich neighbor. Evangeline escapes via a cat. (She convinces the cat that sea life is the best life.) By the time she returns home, her father has gone. Gone where? To look for her. So she sets off in search of him who is searching for her. Will anyone who is searching find the person they are looking for?

My thoughts: I did not like this one even slightly. As a kid, I would have despised it. It was weird--which could be good or bad depending on the reader's perspective. If this one wasn't Kate DiCamillo would anyone give it a great review? I'm not convinced. Would it be selling as well as it has? Probably not. It isn't that the writing is poor. It's not. That's why three stars. But the plot is just all kinds of weird. And the whole book is just absurdly whimsically melancholy.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sweet! I loved this the best of all 3 Norendy Tales (The Puppets of Spelhorst and Hotel Balzaar). It tells a tale of a tiny girl who mysteriously appears to a shoemaker. His wife thinks she is bewitching him because he so loves this little girl, Evangeline, so she has her taken away for gold. It tells the story of the girl and the father trying to find each other again and the adventures they have along the way. Kate DiCamillo’s writing is just so beautiful that the story is lovely to read. I loved the cat’s puns and how you could see his character change and warm throughout the story.

Some favorite lines: “Together, the father and the daughter breathed in the smell of the sea and filled their hearts and minds with the dreams and stories of other places.”

Finding the sea for the first time: “The cat walked to the edge of the cliff, and the two of them looked together at the harbor below them – at the boats and the dock crowded with ropes and nets and glittering with fish scales, at the goal circling overhead, screaming, and demanding, and at the blue sea going on forever and ever, without end.”

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the beginning of this tale I thought - ah - this is like Thumbelina.
Then in the middle I thought - hmm - this is reminding me of Pinocchio.
And at the end I thought - I've never read Evangeline - I wonder if this has anything to do with that poem? I need to go do that, now.

ETA: This will either make you laugh or cry. The AI overview for a Google search of "we must light a lamp for Evangeline and sing" says:

"The line "we must light a lamp for Evangeline and sing" comes from the final section of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's epic poem, *Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie*. It refers to a moment when the dying Evangeline's lover, Gabriel, is found and brought to her, and the story concludes with her friend and confessor, the priest, encouraging her to light a lamp and sing to him, reflecting her devoted love and faith. The priest’s words of patience and endurance are a key theme of the poem, symbolizing that love and affection are never wasted."

Um. No. Kate DiCamillo wrote that line in the coda of "Lost Evangeline". It isn't from Wadsworth's poem. And this doesn't happen in the poem.

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

This third visit to the land of Norendy by Kate DiCamillo follows the story of Evangeline, a young girl no bigger than a mouse. She had been found and raised by the shoemaker that told her stories of the sea. However, the shoemaker's wife that never really cared for Evangeline found the opportunity to sell the girl to free her husband. Thus setting off the adventures of both Evangeline and her adopted father to get back together. This sweet tale tells of the adventures of a brave and resourceful girl that is able to gain help along her journey from a myriad of characters some more helpful than others. This short and lyrical tale evokes the feeling from fairy tales of old and will enamour a new generation of readers for this far away land. I would recommend this book for purchase especially for libraries that have a following for Kate DiCamillo. The chapters are short and filled with helpful illustrations for the younger elementary reader. This would be a great book for second through fourth grades. This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This", thought Evangeline, "is what becomes of those of us who are feared because we are different."

Once upon a time, a shoemaker found a teeny tiny baby in the heel of a boot that was left for him to repair. He was thrilled! He and his wife had always wanted children so he named her Evangeline and raised her as his daughter. But the shoemakers wife could not accept her; she always had excuses for not loving Evangeline. She was jealous and fearful.

Evangeline and her father played wonderful games of hide and seek so that no one would see her or learn about her. And the shoemaker shared his love of the sea with Evangeline and they dreamed of sailing off for great adventures.

Then, through no fault of her own, Evangeline truly was lost. But she was also brave. And very resourceful. And very good at convincing friends to help her - including a marmalade cat and a young tailor.

I was so happy to see a beautiful green parrot in this story.
Now I need to go back and re-read the other two Norendy tales.