Jedlie In Conversation with two-time Newbery Medalist, Kate DiCamillo – BEVERLY, RIGHT HERE
Hey there,
Please join us in welcoming Kate DiCamillo, one of America’s most beloved storytellers. She is a former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and a two-time Newbery Medalist. Born in Philadelphia, she grew up in Florida and now lives in Minneapolis. Kate is the author of Because of Winn-Dixie — her first published novel, which became a runaway bestseller and snapped up a Newbery Honor.
Kate DiCamillo’s books’ themes of hope and belief amid impossible circumstances and their messages of shared humanity and connectedness have resonated with readers of all ages around the world. Kate is joining us today to talk about her brand NEW novel, BEVERLY, RIGHT HERE!
More about “Kate DiCamillo”
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.
Born in Philadelphia but raised in the South, Kate DiCamillo now lives in Minneapolis, where she faithfully writes two pages a day, five days a week.
Learn more about BEVERLY, RIGHT HERE
Beverly put her foot down on the gas. They went faster still.
This was what Beverly wanted — what she always wanted. To getaway. To get away as fast as she could. To stay away.
Beverly Tapinski has run away from home plenty of times, but that was when she was just a kid. By now, she figures, it’s not running away. It’s leaving. Determined to make it on her own, Beverly finds a job and a place to live and tries to forget about her dog, Buddy, now buried underneath the orange trees back home; her friend Raymie, whom she left without a word; and her mom, Rhonda, who has never cared about anyone but herself. Beverly doesn’t want to depend on anyone, and she definitely doesn’t want anyone to depend on her. But despite her best efforts, she can’t help forming connections with the people around her — and gradually, she learns to see herself through their eyes. In a touching, funny, and fearless conclusion to her sequence of novels about the beloved Three Rancheros, #1 New York Times best-selling author Kate DiCamillo tells the story of a character who will break your heart and put it back together again.
Interview Talking Points & Questions:
- Kate introduces us to her Brand NEW Novel, BEVERLY, RIGHT HERE (4:00)
- Being hurt in teenage years causes people to put up their defenses that prevent people from loving them. What are some of the other factors that have a huge impact on kids? (6:59)
- Every relationship that we have is going to end in sorrow (7:44)
- “In between all the sorrow is this almost unbearable wonderful joy and that’s the price of the admission to the sorrow” (9:20)
- What kind of conversation families can have after reading BEVERLY, RIGHT HERE together? (14:35)
- How do you think female characters have changed over the years? (20:35)
A big Thank You to Kate DiCamillo for joining us! Glad you all could join us for today’s guest interview! We hope you’ve enjoyed this interview and we look forward to introducing you to some great guests in our next episode.
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Thanks for tuning in and have a great day!
