Puppet
David Almond author Lizzy Stewart illustrator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Walker Books Ltd
Publishing:3rd Jul '25
£7.99
This title is due to be published on 3rd July, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
From Hans Christian Andersen Medal-winning author David Almond comes a heartwarming story that shows anything is possible with imagination and trust.
What should a puppet master do when he’s old and alone, and all his puppets are gone? Sylvester makes one last puppet. But this one is different. When the old man speaks to him, Puppet speaks back. And then he walks…
While Sylvester shows Puppet the town, the playground and the wonders the world holds, Puppet in turn helps Sylvester to make a new friend, and share his puppet-making skills with the next generation in this wonder-filled story of creation and the circle of life.
Illustrated with sequences of wordless spreads by an award-winning artist, this is a modern-day classic.
A magical, rittly-rattly tale… A gentler story that avoids whittling into the darker themes of Pinocchio to stay closer in tone to Pixar’s Up. But thanks to Almond’s idiosyncratic style it has the same creeping sense of a life hanging in the balance that makes Skellig such an electrifying read 26 years on… Lizzy Stewart’s drawings are pitch-perfect, giving the story the feeling of having been as lovingly handcrafted as Silvester’s green-eyed lad. -- Lucy Bannerman * Children's Book of the Week, The Times *
I think it’s simply wonderful. The language is so clean and beautiful. And I found the relationship between Sylvester and Kenneth/Puppet so pure and fragile it brought me to tears. CONGRATULATIONS to David on writing such a gorgeously hopeful book (despite the sadness in it). * Sarah Crossan *
Just like a puppet-maker, David Almond can create a story from the world all around. He takes the simplest pieces of life and rebuilds them into something quite magical. Puppet is a masterpiece. * Katya Balen *
Inspired by Pinocchio, David Almond has created another timeless classic… It’s tender, very moving and the delicate black-and-white drawings reflect the joy and sadness at the beginning and end of lives. * Daily Mail *
Fans of Hans Christian Andersen Medal-winning author David Almond will fall in love with this beautiful, poignant story about creativity, playfulness and community. * The Bookseller *
- Long-listed for UKLA Book Award 2025 (UK)
- Nominated for The Carnegie Medal 2025 (UK)
ISBN: 9781529523706
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
240 pages