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According to her Amazon profile:
Kate DiCamillo’s writing journey has been a truly remarkable one. She grew up in Florida and moved to Minnesota in her twenties, when homesickness and a bitter winter led her to write Because of Winn-Dixie — her first published novel, which became a runaway bestseller and snapped up a Newbery Honor. The Tiger Rising, her second novel, was also set in Florida and went on to become a National Book Award finalist. Since then, the best-selling author has explored settings as varied as a medieval castle and a magician’s theater while continuing to enjoy great success, winning two Newbery Medals and being named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. She now has almost 30 million books in print worldwide.
To find out more about the author, visit her website here.
Title: Louisiana’s Way Home
Publish Date: October 2, 2018
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Age Range: 10-13 Year Olds
Pages: 240
“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.)” – From the back of the book
Louisiana Elefante was introduced to readers in Raymie Nightingale. Although this book can be read as a stand alone, I would recommend you start with Raymie’s story. This book will take you on a roller coaster of emotions as you journey along with Louisiana. She’s thrown into some odd situations that she handles with strength, grit and grace. She meets interesting characters along the way, all while figuring out some of life’s challenges. This book deals with unusual friendships, 
Title: Good Rosie
Publish Date: September 4, 2018
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Age Range: K – 3rd grade
Pages: 32
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?
Another great book written by Kate DiCamillo accompanied by beautiful illustrations. This book is funny and accurately depicts the behaviors of pets and animals. The illustrations are also a great introduction for young readers to graphic novels. This would be a great book for a classroom to begin a conversation on making friends. If you are looking for a gift, this would be a great choice, as it can be enjoyed by many ages. Along with myself, my 10 yr old and 6 yr old read together and we all wanted to read again!
*Thank you to Candlewick Press & NetGalley for my book copy & e-book copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.*
When I was first introduced to Kate’s books, it was from an assignment my oldest daughter brought home from school. Her teacher was reading The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. My daughter is a very picky reader, but this story was captivating to her. She couldn’t wait to tell us about it when she got home from school. I soon started to add every DiCamillo book I could find. We now have quite the collection! Not only does my daughter love these books, but I also enjoy reading them. She has a way with words and very riveting stories that are full of unusual characters that captivate your mind and pull you in.
When I read her two newest releases that are both children’s books but very different in nature and category, I could not wait to dive into the pages. If you don’t read any further, you should know I highly recommend both books be added to your personal library and any school classroom or library.
“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift.” – Kate DiCamillo
