The Best Books by Kate DiCamillo
by Naima Jasmine Russell
“When we read together, we connect. Together, we see the world. Together, we see one another.” – Kate DiCamillo
What does a porcine wonder named Mercy Watson, a superhero squirrel named Ulysses, a smiling dog named Winn-Dixie, and a shy, swash-buckling mouse named Despereaux have in common? Each is the brainchild of Kate DiCamillo, a two-time Newbery Medal-winning author with over 25 novels to her credit and counting.
Her mastery of storytelling, abiding themes of loss, hope, resilience, courage, and compassion, and her beautiful word imagery appeal to audiences far and wide. While I am partial to The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, my daughter’s favorite is Flora and Ulysses.
If you haven’t found a DiCamillo story to love yet, here is a list to get you started.
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Picture Books
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Mercy Watson to the Rescue
Available from:You will find a Mercy Watson book on most kindergarten reading lists. Mercy, the Watsons’ adorable pet pig, loves hot buttered toast — who doesn’t? But when Mercy climbs into bed with the Watsons for a snuggle one night, all her extra carbs cause the bed to fall partway through the ceiling, leaving her owners stuck. Mercy takes off, and the Watsons assume she went to get the fire department. However, Mercy is hunting for more — you guessed it — buttered toast. These silly and engaging stories are great for new readers, shared reading, or a picture book kids will ask to read over and over. Mercy Watson to the Rescue is the first of seven books that started the love affair with the “porcine wonder.”
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A Very Mercy Christmas
Available from:I saw this new book all over social media during the Christmas season. Mercy Watson books invoke nostalgia for many people, and all the beloved characters appear in this holiday story, adding a little extra holly to many people’s jolly. When the Watsons’ neighbor, Stella Endicott (yes, Stella from the Deckawoo Drive series), wants to go Christmas caroling, almost everyone turns her down. Enter Mercy Watson, Maybelline the horse, and General Washington the Cat, and Stella has a quartet whose boisterous rendition of “Deck the Halls” brings everyone out of their homes to celebrate.
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Good Rosie
Available from:The only time Rosie, a lonely terrier, ever sees another dog is when she glimpses her reflection. One day, her owner, George, takes her to a dog park, but Rosie isn’t sure how to make friends. Little Fifi teaches Rosie and a Saint Bernard named Maurice how. Even George chats with other people. This sweet picture book boasts themes of entering a new space, courage, and friendship.
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Early Chapter Books
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Tales from Deckawoo Drive Series
Available from:This spin-off series follows all the neighbors from the Mercy Watson books: Leroy Ninker, and Maybelline the horse, Francine Poulet the animal control officer, Eugenia Lincoln, and Stella and Frank Endicott. In short chapters with black and white illustrations throughout, readers who fell in love with Mercy Watson can continue the series as their reading level grows. There are six books in all, and lots to love.
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Bink and Gollie: The Completely Marvelous Collection
Available from:Bink is short, petite, and loves peanut butter. Gollie is tall, thin, and loves pancakes. This odd couple leave their super deluxe treehouse and embark on many adventures throughout their chapter book series. Antics include falling into a bin of socks, climbing the Andes mountains in the living room, and winning a whack-a-duck game at the state fair. Readers have compared these atypical girls and their penchant for fun to iconic literary friends like Frog and Toad or Elephant and Piggy. Tony Fucile’s illustrations remind me of Calvin and Hobbs comics with black and white drawings and well-placed pops of color.
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Middle Grade
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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Available from:“Haunting” is another word to describe Kate DiCamillo’s writing because the stories stay with you long after you turn the last page. I read the engrossing and melancholy Edward Tulane aloud to my daughter two years ago. Upon finishing it, she surprised me by immediately grabbing the book and rereading it by herself.
This story of a smartly dressed toy rabbit who gets lost and spends years finding its way home is sad, hopeful, and speaks to the power of tenacity. Edward never gives up on searching for home, even when he finds himself at the bottom of the ocean. This is an excellent place to start if you’re new to DiCamillo’s books.
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The Beatryce Prophecy
Available from:DiCamillo is a masterful storyteller who easily flows back and forth between stories of real-world, preteen coming-of-age tropes and magical, medieval fairytales like this one. A kind monk finds Beatryce, feverish and clinging to the ear of a sadistic goat, in a monastery stable during wartime. The only thing she remembers is her name. As Brother Edik nurses her back to health, Beatryce regains her memory. Her true identity is from a prophecy Brother Edik wrote about, and is enough to dethrone the king. It's 100% an enchanting story.
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Because of Winn-Dixie
Available from:DiCamillo’s first novel is a heartwarming tale destined to become a beloved classic. Ten-year-old India Opal and her father, “the preacher,” move to a small town in Florida, each riding waves of grief and loss. Things change when India goes to the grocery store and befriends a stray dog she names Winn-Dixie. With a sprinkle of magical realism, the pair make friends with eccentric locals, collecting their stories and down-home wisdom. India also bonds with her father again, and everyone becomes a little kinder, thanks to the dog with a big smile.
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The Tale of Despereaux
Available from:This fairytale is told from four characters’ viewpoints and won DiCamillo her first Newbery Award. Readers dive into the story with Despereaux Tilling, a large-eared mouse; Roscuro, a rat living in darkness who gets his first taste of light; and poor Miggery Sow, a serving girl named after her father’s prized pig. This unlikely trio sets out to rescue a human princess named Pea, who has been captured by rats. The story also has an overarching narrator that often breaks the fourth wall, asking questions and sharing inside thoughts. It often feels like sitting around the campfire, listening to a storyteller rather than reading in your home.
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Flora and Ulysses
Available from:Ten years after winning her first Newbery Award, this book earned DiCamillo another, making her one of only six people to win the prestigious award twice. Flora and Ulysses tells the story of a cynical, comic book-obsessed 10-year-old (Flora) who resuscitates a squirrel that got sucked into a Ulysses 2000x vacuum cleaner. After coming back to life, the squirrel possesses superpowers. Flora names him Ulysses, and so begins a hilarious, superhero-sized tale full of hope and possibility that will change the hearts of Flora and readers alike. This book charmed my 8-year-old, and we can’t wait to catch the movie.
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The Tiger Rising
Available from:In DiCamillo’s second novel, she tackles themes of loss and finding yourself in small-town Florida. However, this story has more weight, introspection, and description for older middle grade readers. Rob Horton and his father are reeling from the loss of Rob’s mom to cancer. Rob bottles up his emotions, has a skin condition on his leg, and gets bullied at his new school. Then two things happen on the same day: first, Rob stumbles upon a caged tiger in the woods, and second, he meets angry and outspoken Sistine. The two form a friendship and make plans for the tiger and themselves. This sweet coming-of-age story tugs at the heartstrings.
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The Magician’s Elephant
Available from:This story reads like an ancient fable and follows Peter Augustus Duchene, a 10-year-old orphan boy who goes to the market for fish but spends his money on a fortune teller instead. He is searching for his lost sister, and the fortune teller’s mysterious instructions to find an elephant are his only guide. At the opera house that night, a magician mistakenly creates an elephant when his spell goes wrong. And so begins a magical journey filled with hope, compassion, and beautiful imagery, which is DiCamillo’s specialty.
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Upper Middle Grade: The Three Rancheros Series
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Raymie Nightingale
Available from:If 12-year-old Raymie Nightingale can win the Little Miss Central Florida tire competition, maybe her name will get in the paper, and her estranged father will see it and come home. Raymie’s plan would go smoothly if she didn’t have to deal with a stubborn girl named Beverly, who is determined to sabotage the competition, and the frequently fainting Louisiana, who has a background in show business. A story of loss, unexpected friendship, and the meaning of life for 9- to 14-year-olds.
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Louisiana’s Way Home
Available from:Louisiana Elefante wonders if she is only destined for goodbyes in this continuation of the three rancheros series. Her eccentric Granny wakes her in the middle of the night with the idea that the day of reckoning has come and they must leave town immediately — never to return. Saying goodbye to her friends Raymie and Beverly is difficult, but Louisiana soon finds herself involved in the lives of the quirky people in a small Georgia town where she and her Granny end up. Although part of a series, this book can be read on its own as a powerful narrative about being true to yourself and standing your ground.
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Beverly, Right Here
Available from:The final story in the series finds headstrong Beverly Tapinski striking out on her own at 14. She lies about her age to find a job, seeks shelter with an older woman named Lola, and wants to forget her troubled past. Her plan to not get close to anyone crumbles when she connects to the small town around her. There, she finds the courage to face her loss and herself. It’s a fitting conclusion to the series.
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