Magical Venice – The Maskmaker’s Daughter

Holly Webb's The Maskmaker's Daughter is a magical Venice story for 9 year olds about a dressmaker's girl whose embroidery won't keep still.

What happens

Colette and her Ma sew gorgeous gowns for the wealthy ladies of Venice, in a tiny shop by the canal. Money is tight. So when a haughty countess orders a ball gown from a bolt of shimmering blue silk, it could change everything.

The silk is no ordinary cloth. It came off a ship, soaked in sea water, and it seems to whisper to Colette. When she stitches little golden fish on to it, they start to swim. And when the countess tries the dress on, Colette sees pictures moving in the fabric that nobody else can see.

Colette has always wondered about her father. Ma will only say he's "dead and gone and best forgotten". But magic keeps bubbling up in Colette, and she's starting to think there's a secret somewhere in her family.

This is a very atmospheric read. You can almost feel the damp in the stones and hear the gondolas. Masks are everywhere in this Venice, and some of them are enchanted. Colette notices a girl in the street wearing one that stops her from speaking, which is really quite creepy. There's also a scruffy tortoiseshell cat that seems to understand every word she says. Is it just a cat? We're not sure either.

Worth knowing before you hand it over

Ma has a terrible cough, and early in the book Colette wakes up to find her mother has died in the night (this happens in the first few chapters, so it isn't a spoiler). It's described simply but it's very sad. Colette has to face the funeral, an unpaid bill and the threat of an orphanage, all on her own.

For a child who has lost someone, or who gets upset about a parent being ill, that could be a lot. For a reader who's ready for a bit more depth, it gives the magic real weight. Colette is brave and stubborn and you really want her to win.

There's plenty of lovely detail about sewing and dressmaking too, which will suit a child who likes making things. It feels closer to a proper novel than a young fairy story.

What to read next

If they love this Venice of canals and magic, they could try Holly Webb's The Water Horse next, where a lonely princess finds a friend hidden in the city's waters.