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Spell and Spindle
Doll Bones meets Splendors and Glooms as a boy trades bodies with a wooden marionette.
The Museum of Peculiar Arts holds many oddities—a mechanical heart, a diary bound in its owner’s skin…and Penny, a child-size marionette who almost looks alive. Fog clouds Penny’s memories from before the museum, but she catches glimpses here and there: a stage, deep red curtains, long-fingered hands gripping her strings.
One day, a boy named Chance touches Penny’s strings and hears her voice in his head. Penny can listen, and watch, and think?
Now someone else is watching Penny and Chance—a man with a sharp face, a puppeteer who has the tools to change things. A string through a needle. A twist of a spindle. And suddenly Chance is trapped in Penny’s marionette body, while Penny is free to run and dance. She knows that finding a way to switch back is the right thing to do. But this body feels so wonderful, so full of life! How can Penny ever return to her puppet shell?
The Museum of Peculiar Arts holds many oddities—a mechanical heart, a diary bound in its owner’s skin…and Penny, a child-size marionette who almost looks alive. Fog clouds Penny’s memories from before the museum, but she catches glimpses here and there: a stage, deep red curtains, long-fingered hands gripping her strings.
One day, a boy named Chance touches Penny’s strings and hears her voice in his head. Penny can listen, and watch, and think?
Now someone else is watching Penny and Chance—a man with a sharp face, a puppeteer who has the tools to change things. A string through a needle. A twist of a spindle. And suddenly Chance is trapped in Penny’s marionette body, while Penny is free to run and dance. She knows that finding a way to switch back is the right thing to do. But this body feels so wonderful, so full of life! How can Penny ever return to her puppet shell?
Paperback
First published July 31, 2018
10 people are currently reading
289 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Schusterman
22 books159 followersMichelle Schusterman is the alleged author of less than one hundred books for kids and teens, most of which are not published under a secret pseudonym, and all of which include various characters. She lives on a steamboat with her pet crawfish, unless she's lying, in which case she lives among the spiders beneath the stage at the Metropolitan Opera, unless that's another lie, in which case she lives in an apartment in Queens with her chocolate lab, who can talk.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
September 12, 2018
Saw a rec for this book on Twitter, it was described as a chilling tale. When I looked it up on Amazon, there were five 1-star reviews. People who thought it was inappropriate for their kids to read.
It wasn't scary at all. Strange at times, and a bit hard to follow at times, but overall an interesting story and a quick read. Plenty of suspense and short chapters with cliffhangers. I'd recommend it to kids if they're okay with reading about witchcraft-y things.
It wasn't scary at all. Strange at times, and a bit hard to follow at times, but overall an interesting story and a quick read. Plenty of suspense and short chapters with cliffhangers. I'd recommend it to kids if they're okay with reading about witchcraft-y things.
February 1, 2019
I wasn't sure what to expect from SPELL & SPINDLE, but I found myself wrapped up in the story and wondering where the author was taking the reader. Finding a story offering hope instead of -- or maybe in spite of -- pessimism was a joy in a world of books that seems to focus on dystopian settings and cynicism. Thank you, Michelle Schusterman!
April 7, 2019
This book about a boy and his marionette provides that shift of perspective on humanity that is difficult to possess when you've existed as a human for your whole life. It makes you stop, think, and want to work towards that better world we all hope will someday come.
August 21, 2018
a rather moving, gripping, and magical story about a boy and a marionette (who though having conciseness has no ability to move) who swap places, and the boy's brave sister who fights to get her brother back when he is taken prisoner by an evil puppeteer. I liked it (good sibling relationships always do it for me).
June 9, 2018
Interest Level: 3-6
What would you do if you were given a marionette doll and one day you touched her strings and you heard her thoughts? How freaked out would you be? Penny has spent so many years on the shelf in the museum watching all that goes on. Chance works in the museum helping Fortunato, an elderly man who inherited the museum from the cabinetmaker who was his teacher. When Fortunato is forced to sell the museum he gives Chance the life-sized marionette doll, Penny. When Chance touches Penny's strings they are able to communicate through their minds. What they don't know is an evil man is watching them and creates an opportunity for Chance and Penny to swap places. Penny is so excited to be in a human body, but not at the expense of Chance's soul. As Penny is trying to find a way to swap them back, Chance is stolen and now Penny doesn't know what to do. Chance's sister, Constance, steps in and is determined to save her brother. What she doesn't expect is to become friends with Penny. Will Penny and Constance be able to find Chance and swap back? Will Penny decide that she wants to keep the human body and leave Chance frozen in the wooden body? What about the evil man? Will he do whatever it takes to keep his marionette, even if it means death? This is a must read that you will not be able to put down until the end.
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September 6, 2018
My boss had heard about this book, and how creepy it supposedly was. Both of us were interested in reading it, but our library didn't have it. We finally got a copy of it to share; I was the first to read it, and to be honest, I wish that reading time had been spent on something better. The reviews we initially saw indicated that it was a really creepy story. I guess my kind of creepy is different. For me, this had the makings of an excellent juvenile horror story but was not executed well. When the 'how' of everything was explained, I admit to getting a little confused about it - so how confused will a child be? I couldn't even seem to summon up any real feelings toward the characters one way or the other. Overall, just not worth it. Hopefully juvenile readers will enjoy it more than I did.
August 26, 2018
With stories of lost children and stolen souls, Spell and Spindle weaves an eerie and tangled mystery of love, sadness, and secrets. The Museum of Peculiar Arts is the perfect setting to begin a creepy tale with its eclectic inventory of vampire fangs, fairy bones, and cursed jewelry but one piece stands out among the rest; Penny the marionette sits atop a high shelf, listening, watching, and waiting for someone to notice she is alive.
Schusterman most notably builds characters that are engaging and flawed, adding a true sense of authenticity to this fantasy world. Aside from the protagonists Penny and Chance and the mysterious antagonist, readers are treated to glimpses of backstories for the supporting cast beyond simple introductions that expand this 255 page book into a captivating epic of emotions. Achieving this feeling while maintaining a small page count gives this book accessibility for younger readers ready for more in-depth stories.
This depth moves beyond characters and into the story itself as the author addresses many contemporary issues including sexism and racism through the eyes of Penny, whose minimal experience with the world allows these situations to come to light in the eyes of an innocent character; Penny may not understand why the people act in this way towards those who are different from them, but she is going to do her best while staying careful. Penny's inner monologue acts as a moral compass and cautionary tale that will stick with readers.
Unfortunately, the book's strengths also become its greatest weaknesses as its attempts to tackle too much at once. The writing falls into the classic trap of attempting to reach the next action sequence quickly by unloading the entire backstory of villainy in one chapter instead of leaning more heavily into the clues dropped throughout the story and allowing readers to puzzle the mystery themselves. Additionally, this tale of gloom comes to a sharp standstill as
Overall, reviewers are absolutely correct in recommending this to fans of both Doll Bones and Splendors and Gloom as this story shares that creeping sensation of someone watching you.
Schusterman most notably builds characters that are engaging and flawed, adding a true sense of authenticity to this fantasy world. Aside from the protagonists Penny and Chance and the mysterious antagonist, readers are treated to glimpses of backstories for the supporting cast beyond simple introductions that expand this 255 page book into a captivating epic of emotions. Achieving this feeling while maintaining a small page count gives this book accessibility for younger readers ready for more in-depth stories.
This depth moves beyond characters and into the story itself as the author addresses many contemporary issues including sexism and racism through the eyes of Penny, whose minimal experience with the world allows these situations to come to light in the eyes of an innocent character; Penny may not understand why the people act in this way towards those who are different from them, but she is going to do her best while staying careful. Penny's inner monologue acts as a moral compass and cautionary tale that will stick with readers.
Unfortunately, the book's strengths also become its greatest weaknesses as its attempts to tackle too much at once. The writing falls into the classic trap of attempting to reach the next action sequence quickly by unloading the entire backstory of villainy in one chapter instead of leaning more heavily into the clues dropped throughout the story and allowing readers to puzzle the mystery themselves. Additionally, this tale of gloom comes to a sharp standstill as
Overall, reviewers are absolutely correct in recommending this to fans of both Doll Bones and Splendors and Gloom as this story shares that creeping sensation of someone watching you.
September 16, 2018
Spell & Spindle by Michelle Schusterman, 255 pages. Random House, 2018. $17.
Content: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Chance and his family are moving from the heart of their city to a new, sterile housing development in the suburbs. Chance wants nothing to do with it, especially since it means leaving The Museum of Peculiar Arts, directly below their apartment. AS a final gesture the museum’s curator gives him Penny, a life-sized marionette that has been in the museum for decades. When Chance touches her strings for the first time, he can her Penny’s thoughts How is this possible?! This contact launches them and a few others on a adventure unlike any other – especially when Chance finds himself trapped within Penny’s wooden body and Penny becomes Chance – who will believe him?
While the underlying structure of the ultimate riddle is a bit confusing, I pushed through my confusion and jumped into the adventure. The tension ramps up nicely to a breathtaking and magical finish.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian. MLS
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
Content: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Chance and his family are moving from the heart of their city to a new, sterile housing development in the suburbs. Chance wants nothing to do with it, especially since it means leaving The Museum of Peculiar Arts, directly below their apartment. AS a final gesture the museum’s curator gives him Penny, a life-sized marionette that has been in the museum for decades. When Chance touches her strings for the first time, he can her Penny’s thoughts How is this possible?! This contact launches them and a few others on a adventure unlike any other – especially when Chance finds himself trapped within Penny’s wooden body and Penny becomes Chance – who will believe him?
While the underlying structure of the ultimate riddle is a bit confusing, I pushed through my confusion and jumped into the adventure. The tension ramps up nicely to a breathtaking and magical finish.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian. MLS
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
August 31, 2018
Opening line:
"There was once a cabinetmaker's apprentice who built a marionette, and this marionette was not a soul-thieving demon."
Have you watched the movie "The Polar Express"? Do you remember the creepy scene with the creepy marionettes? And how they came alive? Well, this book isn't quite as creepy. There was adventure, a carnival, missing children and a puppeteer (who was creepy).
The story opens with Chance who loves to go to a museum and work. He tells all his troubles to a marionette named Penny who sits on a shelf and "listens" to Chance. One day the museum owner claims he's shutting down and lets Chance take Penny home. Quite by accident, they find a way to communicate. Then, quite by accident, they switch places: Chance is now Penny-the-Marionette and Penny is now Chance-the Human-Boy. She loves the freedom of being human and questions a little bit of staying in this form. But she likes Chance and knows she needs to switch back. But things go awry and Chance is kidnapped--or puppet-napped?
Thus, the adventure begins.
This is a story about family, siblings, trust and faith.
I personally did not connect with the characters. I thought it was interesting that the author had a girl take over a boy's body but the possible "ick" factor was glossed over so I thought that was good, especially because this is a middle-grade read.
There is a creepy factor with the marionettes and their maker as well as a threat of death by fire.
Thanks to netgalley for the read!
"There was once a cabinetmaker's apprentice who built a marionette, and this marionette was not a soul-thieving demon."
Have you watched the movie "The Polar Express"? Do you remember the creepy scene with the creepy marionettes? And how they came alive? Well, this book isn't quite as creepy. There was adventure, a carnival, missing children and a puppeteer (who was creepy).
The story opens with Chance who loves to go to a museum and work. He tells all his troubles to a marionette named Penny who sits on a shelf and "listens" to Chance. One day the museum owner claims he's shutting down and lets Chance take Penny home. Quite by accident, they find a way to communicate. Then, quite by accident, they switch places: Chance is now Penny-the-Marionette and Penny is now Chance-the Human-Boy. She loves the freedom of being human and questions a little bit of staying in this form. But she likes Chance and knows she needs to switch back. But things go awry and Chance is kidnapped--or puppet-napped?
Thus, the adventure begins.
This is a story about family, siblings, trust and faith.
I personally did not connect with the characters. I thought it was interesting that the author had a girl take over a boy's body but the possible "ick" factor was glossed over so I thought that was good, especially because this is a middle-grade read.
There is a creepy factor with the marionettes and their maker as well as a threat of death by fire.
Thanks to netgalley for the read!
October 25, 2018
Penny is a child size marionette doll. she is given to a boy named Chance. Chance can hear Penny if he is touching her strings. They became friends. Chance is planning to run away and take Penny with him. Someone has cut the strings on Penny's head. Then the next day the device to fix the string was left in Chances mailbox. chance started to fix the string. The next thing he knows he is the one in the marionette doll and Penny is in his body. Chance has a sister Constance and she can tell that Chance is not in his body. Constance will do whatever it takes to get her brother back. Penny doesn't want to go back into the Marionette, but she doesn't want Chance to be trapped in there as well. mean while Chance and Constance Family have moved to the country, but the carnival is in the city. Everything start to happen when Penny and Constance take a train ride to the city. They go to the museum and find out the friend they had there are really very evil men turning children into Marionette dolls. Read the rest to find out what happens.
December 6, 2018
There was so much I liked about this book -- strong characters, unexpected plot turns, interesting themes, an original take on fairy tale elements -- but the ending, which was meant to be happy, was actually a downer. Sure, Also, the mechanics of the magic were sometimes difficult to understand. It's too bad there couldn't have been an illustration of a spinning wheel, because I'm not sure many young readers will be able to picture it.
September 28, 2018
"There was once a cabinetmaker's apprentice who built a marionette, and this marionette was not a soul-thieving demon. Not at first..."
Pulled me in from the first sentence and wouldn't let me put it down! The perfect mix of mystery and adventure. It's Chance's last day at the Museum of Peculiarities. Not only is he moving out of the City, the Museum itself is closing. When the owner gives Chance a marionette as a parting gift, he has no idea he's about to open a box of worms (or should I say, a magical cabinet of curiosities...). For Penny is more than she seems, and old stories sometimes contain a grain of truth.
Pulled me in from the first sentence and wouldn't let me put it down! The perfect mix of mystery and adventure. It's Chance's last day at the Museum of Peculiarities. Not only is he moving out of the City, the Museum itself is closing. When the owner gives Chance a marionette as a parting gift, he has no idea he's about to open a box of worms (or should I say, a magical cabinet of curiosities...). For Penny is more than she seems, and old stories sometimes contain a grain of truth.
August 15, 2021
This is one of the best children's books that I've read in a long time. The plot was so engaging and Schusterman's writing style was so smooth. I sped through this book, staying up late into the night to finish it. While this is a fun, creepy book for middle graders, it touches on a very dark topic. Adult readers will recognize what is behind the string and marionette puppets. I will certainly be reading more by this author. Highly recommend!
September 1, 2018
This was a creepy, uncomfortable read; yet I just couldn't put it down until the end.
I'd recommend it to middle grade readers who want something scary without going too scary. The dialog sometimes would confuse me when I didn't know who was talking or what just suddenly happened.
"They all had brains and hearts; those were the most important bits."
I'd recommend it to middle grade readers who want something scary without going too scary. The dialog sometimes would confuse me when I didn't know who was talking or what just suddenly happened.
"They all had brains and hearts; those were the most important bits."
June 26, 2024
Darker than a lot of books for this age. The tale is still entertaining and definitely has a happy ending! It is an interesting exploration of magic, sacrifice, and what it means to be human. I enjoyed it and so did my 8 year old daughter. We read it together.
October 25, 2024
I just didn’t love this one. A boy and a marionette switching bodies was just not my genre of book. It was a little slow for me too. Truthfully I’m not sure what really happened with the bad guy in this book and I’d like to know what happens with fortunato in the end.
June 14, 2018
Haunting and edge-of-my-seat suspense. I wanted to know how it ended and just kept reading. I went to an author event in Milwaukee, WI on June 9th and was able to get ARC version of the book.
February 17, 2019
Boy and puppet switch bodies and go on a quest to help other kids who have been captured by an evil puppet master. It was ok.
August 6, 2019
This was a very peculiar book. There were times when I enjoyed it and times when the story couldn't keep my interest. It can be a little creepy for a kids book, but overall the storyline was good.
October 31, 2019
Lyrical fantasy about a puppeteer who turns children into marionettes that can swap souls with other people in an attempt to extend his own life.
May 19, 2021
This was a dark but heartwarming read. I wish this was a series. And I love the characters in this book. I now consider this a favorite.
July 20, 2022
A bit confusing. Switched bodies.
October 3, 2022
DNF'd at 24% because this was not the surrealistic and whimsical book I had been hoping for when I had picked this up.
June 29, 2023
A whimsical and charming read for all ages.
September 30, 2021
Spell & Spindle follows Chance, a lonely young boy gifted with a stunningly lifelike, magical marionette named Penny. After discovering he can communicate with her Chance and Penny become fast friends. However, on the eve of Chance’s family’s move out of the city Penny and Chance swap bodies and to make matters worse the marionette is stolen. Penny, now in Chance’s body, has to figure out how to make things right before Chance’s soul is lost forever.
Spell & Spindle's tone was arresting. Unlike middle-grade fantasy I’ve read before it’s neither cute and cuddly nor whimsical. There was grit to Michelle Shusterman’s storytelling that was fascinating to explore. The bulk of the novel followed Penny’s journey through the city as she searched for Chance and Shusterman evoked a feeling of legitimate, palpable danger throughout it. The realism of the threats Penny faced added depth to the story. Shusterman tackled things like the street harassment of young girls and the racist profiling of black boys and integrated these issues organically into the story. She did so in a way that felt approachable for younger audiences and authentically represented the way children experience these things.
The sinister edge of this story is also perfectly captured in the story’s antagonist, the Puppeteer. While he was initially presented as an almost cartoonish villain as the stakes rise throughout the story and his motives are revealed he became a truly malignant threat. There was grounded malice to his actions that made the heart-pounding finale all the more dread-inducing.
But, Spell & Spindle's crowning jewel is its characters. Penny and Chance are such compelling characters to follow because of how invested I was in seeing them overcome everything stacked against them. Penny’s arc, in particular, was a gut punch. Seeing her grapple with newfound freedom and doing right by her friend was heartbreaking. Shusterman captured the moving emotional arc of Penny’s journey perfectly.
Chance had an equally heartbreaking perspective. Trapped in the body of a marionette, we saw him attempt to remain steadfast and hopeful under insurmountable circumstances. His bravery the face of that was so inspiring to watch. I also adored watching Constance, Chance’s sister, fight with everything she had to get her brother back. While she didn’t have a point of view in this novel her clever wit, fierce determination and unflinching love for her brother were wonderful to behold.
All these compelling characters were supported by a perfectly paced story that layered emotion and tension immaculately. Shusterman built her mystery excellently and I was consistently compelled to keep turning the pages. Shusterman’s exploration of the effects of grief and isolation on children broke my heart. But her demonstration of their resilience and bravery made all the heartache worth it.
Spell & Spindle was simply an incredibly crafted, resonant novel. It's a book that takes children seriously. I could tell Michelle Shusterman genuinely appreciates the rich inner lives and emotions of children. She told a spellbinding, captivating story and I would highly recommend it to children and children at heart.
Spell & Spindle's tone was arresting. Unlike middle-grade fantasy I’ve read before it’s neither cute and cuddly nor whimsical. There was grit to Michelle Shusterman’s storytelling that was fascinating to explore. The bulk of the novel followed Penny’s journey through the city as she searched for Chance and Shusterman evoked a feeling of legitimate, palpable danger throughout it. The realism of the threats Penny faced added depth to the story. Shusterman tackled things like the street harassment of young girls and the racist profiling of black boys and integrated these issues organically into the story. She did so in a way that felt approachable for younger audiences and authentically represented the way children experience these things.
The sinister edge of this story is also perfectly captured in the story’s antagonist, the Puppeteer. While he was initially presented as an almost cartoonish villain as the stakes rise throughout the story and his motives are revealed he became a truly malignant threat. There was grounded malice to his actions that made the heart-pounding finale all the more dread-inducing.
But, Spell & Spindle's crowning jewel is its characters. Penny and Chance are such compelling characters to follow because of how invested I was in seeing them overcome everything stacked against them. Penny’s arc, in particular, was a gut punch. Seeing her grapple with newfound freedom and doing right by her friend was heartbreaking. Shusterman captured the moving emotional arc of Penny’s journey perfectly.
Chance had an equally heartbreaking perspective. Trapped in the body of a marionette, we saw him attempt to remain steadfast and hopeful under insurmountable circumstances. His bravery the face of that was so inspiring to watch. I also adored watching Constance, Chance’s sister, fight with everything she had to get her brother back. While she didn’t have a point of view in this novel her clever wit, fierce determination and unflinching love for her brother were wonderful to behold.
All these compelling characters were supported by a perfectly paced story that layered emotion and tension immaculately. Shusterman built her mystery excellently and I was consistently compelled to keep turning the pages. Shusterman’s exploration of the effects of grief and isolation on children broke my heart. But her demonstration of their resilience and bravery made all the heartache worth it.
Spell & Spindle was simply an incredibly crafted, resonant novel. It's a book that takes children seriously. I could tell Michelle Shusterman genuinely appreciates the rich inner lives and emotions of children. She told a spellbinding, captivating story and I would highly recommend it to children and children at heart.
August 19, 2019
Hum, not sure why I gave this book four stars...I can’t recall anything too stand out about it now. But I must have enjoyed it well enough while reading! I liked the setting and how it was described (I was reminded of the settings in A Series of Unfortunate Events), as well as the relationships between Chance and Constance (siblings) and Penny. A solid fantasy with a sinister backstory and simple plot.
July 29, 2018
A BIG Thank You to Netgalley and Random House Books for Young Readers for providing me a copy of “Spell and Spindle” by Michelle Schusterman in exchange for my review.The main highlight of this story for me was the characters how the author realistically portrays them. I especially adored how the author made Penny more three dimensional, even though she is only supposed to be a marionette in theory. Though Penny is supposed to be good and heroic, she also makes mistakes, gets scared, and runs away from problems rather than facing them. I loved seeing all these facets in our protagonist, which is very rare in middle grade novels. Another reason why this book was fun was because the author did not stereotype the genders. Penny and Constance are the main brave heroes in this story. Chance is brave at times too, but we also see a vulnerable side to him and he comes across as the damsel in distress here.
The only trouble I had with this “Spell and Spindle” was the villain. Considering how wonderful it was to read about the good guys, I found the villain to be very two dimensional in the mustache-twirling way. I also had trouble understanding the reasons for doing what he did as it didn’t seem very convincing.
Apart from that though, I truly enjoyed this story. I really liked Michelle Schusterman's style of writing, and would love to pick up some of her other novels. I also found the illustrations by Kathrin Honesta to be cute on each chapter. Also, I loved that each chapter ends in a serialized cliff-hanger and I found myself turning pages to find out what happened next! Spell and Spindle is definitely one of those books that boys and girls would enjoy reading as it has a lot of mystery, adventure and drama in it. Personally, I enjoyed it a lot too and can’t wait to re-read it once it hits the bookstores.
August 5, 2020
A coraline-esque story (with maybe some tinges of toy story) that kept me flipping pages hoping for a happy ending for my favorite characters and demise for my least favorites. Spooky for kids who aren’t into talking dolls, but other than that just the perfect amount of intrigue and fun. A good fall read.
June 27, 2020
Spell & Spindle by Michelle Schusterman is a middle grade horror about a boy who finds himself switched into the body of a full sized marionette, and the marionette who saves him with the help of his sister.
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December 13, 2022
The premise worked well enough but the ending was so muddy and confusing. I know if I had a hard time keeping up with the story lines, characters, and strange plot, kiddos might too. It was meh.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews