Tag Archives: Kate DiCamillo

Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo

Posted on by
1

Louisiana’s Way Home, by Kate DiCamillo, is a novel written from the perspective of a twelve-year-old girl named Louisiana Elefante. At the beginning of the story, Louisiana is abruptly awakened in the middle of the night by her grandmother. Granny says, “The day of reckoning has arrived. The hour is close at hand. We must leave immediately.” Louisiana does not think this is a big deal, because Granny had said things like that before. However, this time is different. Louisiana soon realizes that they are moving from their home in Florida and embarking on a journey to Georgia. This time, Granny intends to leave Florida for good.

As Louisiana faces the uncertainty of her new circumstances, her mind is filled with a mix of hope and fear. This book captures the emotions of a girl trying to make sense of her life in the midst of chaos. She struggles with feelings of loneliness after she is separated from her best friends. She meets many strange and sometimes funny characters in her travels, but she yearns to find her way home. This book deals with themes of resilience, friendship, and identity, as Louisiana learns to navigate her changing world and uncovers secrets about her family.

This is a touching and emotional book. I was impressed by the inner strength that Louisiana develops as the story progresses. Her raw feelings are wonderfully described by the author, and she becomes a very sympathetic character. The story is highly realistic and it brings Louisiana’s world to life. This book also teaches powerful lessons about love and forgiveness. I found the ending to be bittersweet, reflecting the harshness of Louisiana’s feelings but also her personal growth. As she comes to terms with her past and recognizes the potential of her future, it becomes clear that she has come a long way. I definitely appreciate this book overall and would recommend it to readers of all ages, and especially to young readers.

Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo

Posted on by
2

The Tiger Rising was written by award-winning author Kate DiCamillo. The story takes place in Florida. The main character is a twelve-year-old boy named Rob Horton who is struggling with his emotions after his mother’s death. Living in a small town with his father, Rob feels lost and alone. His life changes when he finds a tiger locked in a cage in the woods, which mirrors his own feelings of being trapped and unable to express himself. As Rob navigates his grief, he meets Sistine Bailey, a new girl in town who becomes an important friend. Sistine is also mistreated by other children at school.  Together, Rob and Sistine bond over their shared pain and the tiger they both care about. Sistine helps Rob to face his emotions and think about what it means to be free, both for himself and for the tiger.

Although this book is short, I enjoyed it very much. The story is simple but powerful. It deals with the struggles of dealing with loss and grief, while expressing feelings of freedom and hope. The characters are highly complex and realistic. Through their development, DiCamillo teaches lessons about how to cope with death and isolation, and about the consequences of keeping emotions bottled up. I believe that most people can relate to the feelings expressed in this book, and learn from its lessons. DiCamillo is an excellent author, and this book is a great example of her ability to communicate deep emotions and the power of loving relationships. This is a very poignant book that I would recommend to anyone.

The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo is available to download for free from Libby.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

Posted on by
4

In my 5th grade literature class, I was introduced to a charming little novel called The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. When I read through it as a 10 year old, I thought of the book as an exciting adventure and I remember thinking how humorous it was that the main character was an arrogant china doll rabbit that wore silk suits. But now, I go back and read it and I see more than a rabbit toy.  Encased within the text is a message of the importance of humility and compassion and the power to prompt the reader into self-reflection of their habits and heart.

Spoiled Edward is a parallel and a mirrored reflection of who we are as a society. Today’s culture is the epitome of arrogance. Just like how Edward stared at his own reflection and never ceased to be amazed at his own fineness, we try to be the person on social media with the most followers, we buy nice clothes and take immense amounts time caring about what people view us as. This is our image on the exterior. But on the interior, we are too full of arrogance and too empty of compassion. Luckily, this tale displays a miraculous change of heart. Edward gets lost and falls out of the comfortable life he lives with his rich owner. He witnesses broken hearts, lost dreams, hopelessness and death for the first time in his entire existence. His ego slowly disintegrates and at the end, a lonely, depressed Edward utters a very significant quote in this novel. He states, “‘I have already been loved . . . I have been loved by a girl named Abilene. I have been loved by a fisherman and his wife and a hobo and his dog. I have been loved by a boy who played the harmonica and by a girl who died. Don’t talk to me about love . . . I have known love’” (193). This journey is the catalyst that leads Edward’s cold heart into a state of vulnerability. His entire china body aches with grief because once he finally understands what love means, it is too late, for all the people he learned to love are gone. Edward, the king of his own little world, understands that the finest things in life are not gold pocket watches, imported hats and dashing reflections.

We can learn from Edward that we need to step away from ourselves and take time to love others who are less fortunate or in need of affection. Civilization can be swept away by arrogant ignorance which ultimately leads to destruction and turmoil. Therefore, this novel counters the coldness in our hearts and saves us from the cruel consequences of our actions. As Edward’s painted on eyes open to the conclusion that life’s greatest gift is love and love alone, the audience is awoken with him.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.