Louisiana's Way Home by Kate DiCamillo, 2018

Click to view
on Goodreads 

From two-time Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo comes a story of discovering who you are — and deciding who you want to be.

When Louisiana Elefante’s granny wakes her up in the middle of the night to tell her that the day of reckoning has arrived and they have to leave home immediately, Louisiana isn’t overly worried. After all, Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas. But this time, things are different. This time, Granny intends for them never to return. Separated from her best friends, Raymie and Beverly, Louisiana struggles to oppose the winds of fate (and Granny) and find a way home. But as Louisiana’s life becomes entwined with the lives of the people of a small Georgia town — including a surly motel owner, a walrus-like minister, and a mysterious boy with a crow on his shoulder — she starts to worry that she is destined only for good-byes. (Which could be due to the curse on Louisiana’s and Granny’s heads. But that is a story for another time.)

Called “one of DiCamillo’s most singular and arresting creations” by The New York Times Book Review, the heartbreakingly irresistible Louisiana Elefante was introduced to readers in Raymie Nightingale — and now, with humor and tenderness, Kate DiCamillo returns to tell her story.

(240 pages)

I've been enjoying Kate DiCamillo's books for many years now, ever since we did Because of Winn-Dixie as a read-aloud in second grade. From her picture books to her novels, she always crafts a story that is accessible to younger readers, enjoyable, and still somehow meaningful.

She has definitely continued this trend with Louisiana's Way Home. The book may skate dangerously close in parts to the "Southern quirky charm" cliche that I've grown really sick of, but it never crosses that line to become annoying. DiCamillo does a wonderful job of blending quirky-funny characters with situations (and even other characters) which are legitimately frustrating/challenging, rather than just playing off their charms. Louisiana meets many adults over the course of her attempts to return home, some of whom try to help her and others who look down their noses and suspect her of ulterior motives.

I should talk briefly about Granny's role in the book. She's one of those "quirky" characters whose actions become quite questionable, and I appreciated that DiCamillo had Louisiana struggle with her problematic behavior. I would have liked even more discussion of how some of Granny's actions were completely irresonsible and dangerous, but I suppose that would have been too much of a drag for a book ultimately written for children.

Honestly, my main complaint is that the book is too short. This is a common issue I have with books written for younger readers, and I think my frustration with the book's length just serves as evidence that it was good enough that I wanted to read more! Fans of Because of Winn-Dixie will definitely enjoy this newest novel from DiCamillo.

Have you read any books by Kate DiCamillo? If so, comment below which is your favorite!

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Good Rosie! by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Harry Bliss, 2018

Click to view
on Goodreads 

Beloved storyteller Kate DiCamillo and cartoonist Harry Bliss introduce some delightfully doggy dogs in a warm, funny tale of a timid pup who needs a friend.

Rosie is a good dog and a faithful companion to her owner, George. She likes taking walks with George and looking at the clouds together, but the closest she comes to another dog is when she encounters her reflection in her empty dog bowl, and sometimes that makes Rosie feel lonely. One day George takes Rosie to the dog park, but the park is full of dogs that Rosie doesn’t know, which makes her feel lonelier than ever. When big, loud Maurice and small, yippy Fifi bound over and want to play, Rosie’s not sure how to respond. Is there a trick to making friends? And if so, can they all figure it out together?

(32 pages)

What a cute book!

I don't usually go for childrens' books, but when I got the invitation to review this new little comic book by Kate DiCamillo I thought it looked great and snapped it up.

It's definitely a lot shorter than my usual fare, but it's still fun! The story is a simple one but a very sweet one, about a lonely little dog with a lovely old owner and her attempts to make friends at the dog park.

When I think about the story a little more, I realize that it's also a great entry point into a conversation with children about how people from very diverse backgrounds, or with very different personalities, can still respect each other and become good friends. The fact that it opens that door so subtly, as one of many possible things you could talk about rather than overtly making it the Main Point of the story, is actually a huge point in its favor in my book.

The artwork is very pretty, in the same style as the cover. I have to admit that at the time of writing this review I don't have access to my copy, so I can't flip through it again and go into much detail, but suffice it to say that I really liked the cute depictions of the characters. They were sweet and not overly cartoonish or exaggerated.

All in all, this is a very sweet children's book. I'm sure there are going to be children out there who have their parents read it to death, if for no other reason than because of the adorable dogs, and it's a story with only good messages that parents likely won't mind reading (at least the first few times). If you're looking for a children's book for a kid in your life,  you definitely can't go wrong with Good Rosie!.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package by Kate DiCamillo, 2017

Click to view
on Goodreads 

What will it take for a cynical older sister to realize she's a born accordion player -- with music in her heart?

Eugenia Lincoln is a practical person with no time for gee-gaws, whoop-de-whoops, or frivolity. When an unexpected package containing an accordion arrives at her house, she is determined to have nothing to do with it. But her plans to sell the accordion, destroy the accordion, and give the accordion away all end in frustration. How can Eugenia stop being tormented by this troublesome package? Might she discover that a bit of unforeseen frivolity could be surprisingly . . . joyous?

(112 pages)

I've read many of DiCamillo's books over the years (Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tale of Despereaux, The Magician's Elephant, etc.), and have enjoyed all of them. I loved Because of Winn-Dixie so much that I actually opted to read a translated version of it in Spanish class a couple years ago! I knew that she'd written some books for younger kids, and had actually picked up the first Mercy Watson book at some point but decided it was a little too young for my normal reading tastes. When I was offered the opportunity to review an early copy of DiCamillo's upcoming release Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package, though, I simply couldn't refuse on the basis of its target age group.

Every few months, I find myself holding onto a kids' book that I've somehow decided to review. Each time, I discover something new about the unfamiliar genre–whether it's that the stories can be way more complicated than I'd expected or that the "kiddy" illustrations often actually really enhance the reading experience. This time, I wasn't blown away by the story's complexity (though I did like the way so many eclectic characters are thrown into Eugenia's life!). The illustrations were quite nice. I enjoyed the simple little story about Eugenia's annoyance about the accordion and her attempts to free herself from it, though the very cynical part of me argues that her sister and neighbors were really being pests by continually trying to make her play the instrument she clearly wasn't comfortable with. Does privacy and personal autonomy not really exist in children's books?

Anyway, younger readers of the Mercy Watson books will be happy to know that Mercy (who, just so everyone else knows, is a sentient pig) is featured in Eugenia Lincoln. There's a range of characters in it, and I honestly have no idea how many other ones are also from the other children's books DiCamillo has written. Regardless, though, it's a cute story that's well told and I'm sure many kids will snap it up.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.