Kate DiCamillo’s upcoming adolescent book,
Raymie Nightingale is the first
juvenile book I’ve read in a long time. I typically fell in love with her
simpler books for younger audiences, such as The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Personally, I have not
read Because of Winn-Dixie. But from DiCamillo’s
introductory letter that accompanied my advanced copy of the book, she seemed
to have been aiming for a tone similar to her first book, especially with
Raymie’s tale also taking place in a small town in Central Florida.
After reading the book, I found it to be a
wonderful story that would be well-suited for any adolescent girl. Although
Raymie takes center stage in this tale, her story and life becomes entwined
with Louisiana Elefante and Beverly Tapinski. The three girls could not be any
more different in their personalities and desires. But somehow, one short-lived
common goal brings them all together and as the narrative progresses it shows
more and more how perfectly they balance each other as friends. Even from
reading it through an adult’s perspective, it rings true with tones of youth
and all the complexities that come with it. DiCamillo truly captures the
essence of a young girl’s growing pains and all the confusions of life that
come with it. She shows an understanding of the distinction between what a
growing young girl thinks she wants and what she really wants. This book
teaches young readers that life is always far from perfect and that can never
be fixed. But it’s the choices and decisions people make for themselves and for
others that help us through.
I absolutely recommend this book for any
young girl, or even adult, in search of discovering an assuring tale about
youth, friendship, and one’s place in life. Look forward to DiCamillo’s
upcoming book on April 12th.
