Ferris

Kate DiCamillo delivers a poignant and humorous middle-grade novel about Ferris Wilkey's eventful summer before fifth grade. Ferris contends with her little sister Pinky's outlaw antics, her Uncle Ted's basement residency after leaving Aunt Shirley, and her grandmother Charisse's mysterious ghost sightings, which coincide with Charisse feeling unwell. The ghost, however, has unexpected and illuminating plans, adding a touch of magical realism to the family drama. This book beautifully explores themes of family bonds, resilience, and the emotional complexities of growing up, all wrapped in DiCamillo's signature lyrical prose and profound insights. It's a story that resonates deeply, offering both laughter and comfort for readers aged 8-12.

"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) 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.