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Book Cover for: Ferris, Kate DiCamillo

Ferris

Kate DiCamillo

The New York Times Best Seller
2024 The New York Times Best Seller
A New York Times bestseller!

The beloved author of Because of Winn-Dixie has outdone herself with a hilarious and achingly real love story about a girl, a ghost, a grandmother, and growing up.

It's the summer before fifth grade, and for Ferris Wilkey, it is a summer of sheer pandemonium: Her little sister, Pinky, has vowed to become an outlaw. Uncle Ted has left Aunt Shirley and, to Ferris's mother's chagrin, is holed up in the Wilkey basement to paint a history of the world. And Charisse, Ferris's grandmother, has started seeing a ghost at the threshold of her room, which seems like an alarming omen given that she is also feeling unwell. But the ghost is not there to usher Charisse to the Great Beyond. Rather, she has other plans--wild, impractical, illuminating plans. How can Ferris satisfy a specter with Pinky terrorizing the town, Uncle Ted sending Ferris to spy on her aunt, and her father battling an invasion of raccoons?

As Charisse likes to say, "Every good story is a love story," and Kate DiCamillo has written one for the ages: emotionally resonant and healing, showing the two-time Newbery Medalist at her most playful, universal, and profound.

Book Details

  • Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
  • Publish Date: Mar 5th, 2024
  • Pages: 240
  • Language: English
  • Edition: undefined - undefined
  • Dimensions: 7.87in - 5.67in - 1.10in - 0.74lb
  • EAN: 9781536231052
  • Recommended age: 08-12
  • Categories: Family - MultigenerationalGhost StoriesSocial Themes - Death, Grief, Bereavement

About the Author

Kate DiCamillo is 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.

More books by Kate DiCamillo

Book Cover for: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread (a Middle-Grade Classic about Courage, Friendship, an, Kate DiCamillo
Book Cover for: Charlotte's Web: A Newbery Honor Award Winner, E. B. White
Book Cover for: Charlotte's Web, E. B. White
Book Cover for: Because of Winn-Dixie, Kate DiCamillo
Book Cover for: The Hotel Balzaar, Kate DiCamillo
Book Cover for: Orris and Timble: The Beginning, Kate DiCamillo
Book Cover for: Orris and Timble: Lost and Found: (A Sweet and Funny Early Chapter Book about Friendship, Trust, and Finding Your Way - For Kids Ages 5-8 in Grades K-, Kate DiCamillo
Book Cover for: Mercy Watson to the Rescue: (A Funny and Heartwarming Chapter Book about a Lovable, Toast-Eating Pig - Perfect for Early Readers and Kids Ages 5-7 in, Kate DiCamillo
Book Cover for: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane: (A Heartwarming Tale of a China Rabbit's Quest for Love and Belonging - Middle-Grade Chapter Book for Kids Ag, Kate DiCamillo
Book Cover for: Mercy Watson Boxed Set: Adventures of a Porcine Wonder: Books 1-6, Kate DiCamillo
Book Cover for: Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride: (A Funny and Heartwarming Chapter Book about a Lovable, Toast-Eating Pig - Perfect for Early Readers and Kids Ages 5-7 i, Kate DiCamillo
Book Cover for: Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures (an Illustrated Middle-Grade Novel about a Cynical Girl and a Superhero Squirrel - For Kids Ages 8-12 in, Kate DiCamillo
Book Cover for: Mercy Watson: Princess in Disguise: (A Funny and Heartwarming Halloween Chapter Book about a Lovable, Toast-Eating Pig - For Early Readers and Kids Ag, Kate DiCamillo
Book Cover for: Mercy Watson Fights Crime: (A Funny and Heartwarming Chapter Book about a Lovable, Toast-Eating Pig - Perfect for Early Readers and Kids Ages 5-7 in G, Kate DiCamillo
Book Cover for: A Very Mercy Christmas, Kate DiCamillo
Book Cover for: Mercy Watson: Something Wonky This Way Comes: (A Funny and Heartwarming Chapter Book about a Lovable, Toast-Eating Pig - Perfect for Early Readers and, Kate DiCamillo

Praise for this book

DiCamillo's gift for conveying an entire person and world in a few brushstrokes of storytelling provides depth and quiet magic to this account of an eventful summer. . . Tenderly resonant and memorable.
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Terrifically zany, it certainly is, but it's also wonderfully grounded in deep familial bonds, a tight-knit community, and the beautiful idea that every relationship is a love story in its own way. The kindly town and its eccentric inhabitants come to life via comical anecdotes and gorgeous descriptions, and it all sets the stage for some truly transcendent moments that will leave readers in a state of wonder, no matter their age. It's a spectacularly silly and perfectly sincere exploration of what it means to stay tenderhearted in a sometimes challenging world. . . It's a DiCamillo! That alone should get patrons lining up for this one.
--Booklist (starred review)

Populated by offbeat, compelling characters with rich histories, this bustling and empathetic tale by DiCamillo (The Puppets of Spelhorst) ponders the courage it takes to love someone and the necessity of inconvenience in life through the eyes of one emotionally curious tween.
--Publishers Weekly

The limited third-person narration glimpses other lives but never dwells on them, thus leaving Ferris's honest, preadolescent perspective to drive the story line. As Clarisse tells Ferris, "Every good story is a love story." Here, DiCamillo adeptly proves this axiom.
--The Horn Book

DiCamillo's latest work is a sweet and heartfelt effort. . . dialogue shows the author's characteristic charm.
--School Library Journal

Folksy charm and wholesome whimsy mark this as an easy readalike to DiCamillo's Because of Winn-Dixie (BCCB 6/00), and the endearing portrayal of a loving family in disarray has just enough tension to keep the story interesting without any real threat of estrangement or discord. The third-person narration has clear affection for each character, highlighting their strengths and noting their flaws with tenderness, as Ferris' growing independence shifts family dynamics and roles. . . . Fans of Winn-Dixie or Katherine Applegate's books will find easy contentment and gentle amusement with Ferris and her loving, messy family.
--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books