Herring Hotel

Gr 1-3–Young Gabriel narrates this fantastical story and introduces readers to his family’s crumbling seaside hotel and the eclectic group of guests who live there. While there are many interesting people, an old woman called Mrs. Kettle is his favorite due to her stories and kindly nature. She weaves elaborate yarns about being the exiled Queen of Kettlippia and Gabriel plays along as a loyal subject, despite his parents’ disparaging comments. One day the Herring Hotel begins to collapse, and all of the guests are forced to leave. Together they help each other through this difficult time and are eventually aided by an unexpected ally. The plot never quite takes the turn one might expect, keeping readers interested and curious as to what could possibly happen next. The vocabulary of the text is easy to understand, and the text itself clearly stands out from the illustrations. The art consists of clear patterns and lines, defining the characters by their unique styles in contrast with the delicately detailed backgrounds. Together Bloch and Lévy have created an interesting experience that shows a loving community and remarkable characters, and the varied emotions associated with the plot points.