Author Kate DiCamillo has written literature spanning multiple genres and age groups. See a Kate DiCamillo's biography and learn about her life and books.
Updated: 11/21/2023
Kate DiCamillo | Biography, Books & Awards
Table of Contents
- Author Kate DiCamillo Biography
- Kate DiCamillo Books
- Kate DiCamillo: Awards and Recognition
- Lesson Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Kate DiCamillo become author?
Kate DiCamillo has a degree in English from Florida University. She has always had an interest in children's literature, but her work in a book warehouse sparked her desire to begin writing.
What sickness did Kate DiCamillo have?
When Kate was a young child she suffered from chronic pneumonia. Her mother moved Kate and her brother to Florida for the warmer and dryer temperature when Kate was five.
What is Kate DiCamillo most popular book?
Kate DiCamillo's most popular book is Because of Winn-Dixie. This book was published in 2001 and has won her several awards, and also was made into a movie in 2005.
What type of books does Kate DiCamillo write?
Kate DiCamillo writes books for children and young adults. Her books are well well loved by young adults and adults as well.
What age are Kate DiCamillo books for?
Kate DiCamillo writes picture books for early readers around age seven. She also writes novels intended for young adults and adults enjoy reading them as well.
Table of Contents
- Author Kate DiCamillo Biography
- Kate DiCamillo Books
- Kate DiCamillo: Awards and Recognition
- Lesson Summary
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Kate DiCamillo is an American author that writes young adult books. In most of her books, the main character faces insurmountable circumstances that they overcome with hope and belief in themselves. She writes for a young audience, but people of all ages around the world connect with her books. She has published many novels, chapter books, picture books, and short stories in her career.
Kate DiCamillo Early Life
Kate was born on March 25, 1964 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. She lived there until she was five when her mother, brother Curt, and her moved to Florida due to Kate having chronic pneumonia. Kate has said that her time being sick as a child led her to have such a vivid imagination to create her unique children's stories.
Becoming a Writer
Kate majored in English and graduated college from Florida University in 1987. Kate worked for a few years around Florida, then decided to move to Minnesota in 1994. In Minnesota she worked in a book warehouse where she was inspired to start writing children's books. Her first book was written shortly after this and became an instant hit. The book was titled Because of Winn-Dixie.
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Kate DiCamillo has stated that she has a strict writing routine where she writes two pages of a book five days a week. She has produced many chart topping and award winning books. She writes young adult novels, chapter books, and short stories as well as picture books for younger
readers.
Because Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux are a couple of Kate's best known literary works. She wrote her first novel, Because of Winn-Dixie when she had first bad winter while living in Minnesota. She missed the warm temperatures of Florida and having a dog as a pet. Because of Winn-Dixie is a heartwarming story about a young girl and her dog and how they learn from each other and heal from a broken past. Her book, The Tales of Despereaux, is a book about a brave little mouse with big ears that does not let anything stand in the way of his dreams. Both books, as well as her other books, teach hope and perseverance to her young readers.
Some of Kate's books are discussed below in more detail.
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List of Novels by Kate DiCamillo
Author Kate DiCamillo has written many novels in her career. Her first novel, Because of Winn-Dixie is her most famous novel.
| Kate DiCamillo Novels | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year Published | Title | Awards |
| 2000 | Because of Winn-Dixie | Newbery Honor; DorothyCanfield Fisher Book |
| 2001 | The Tiger Rising | National Book Award Finalist |
| 2003 | The Tale of Despereaux | Newbery Medal Book; Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book |
| 2006 | The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane | |
| 2009 | The Magician's Elephant | Newbery Medal Book |
| 2013 | Flora & Ulysses | Newbery Medal Book |
| 2016 | Raymie Nightingale | National Book Award Finalist |
| 2018 | Louisiana's Way Home | New York #1 Bestseller |
| 2019 | Beverly, Right Here |
Kate DiCamillo's Picture Books
| Kate DiCamillo's Picture Books | |
|---|---|
| Year Published | Book Title |
| 2007 | Great Joy |
| 2008 | Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken |
| 2017 | La, La, La |
| 2019 | A Piglet Named Mercy |
Kate DiCamillo's Chapter Books
| Kate DiCamillo's Chapter Books | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date Published | Book Title | Awards |
| 2005-2009 | Mercy Watson Series | Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book |
| 2010-2013 | Blink & Goldie Series | |
| 2014-1017 | Tales from Deckawoo Drive Series |
Kate DiCamillo's Short Stories
| Kate DiCamillo's Short Stories | |
|---|---|
| Date Published | Title |
| 2001 | An Ordinary Boy in Spider (Vol 8, Issue 9) |
| 2001 | Super Tulip in Spider (Vol 8, Issue 9) |
| 2002 | Visit in Spider (Vol 9, Issue 1) |
| 2011 | The Third Floor Bedroom |
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DiCamillo's books have received many acclaimed awards, but perhaps the most prestigious book award is the John Newbery Medal. The Newbery Medal award is an annual award given by The Association for Library Service to Children and is given to an author that has made the largest impact on children's literature the year before. DiCamillo has won this award three different times:
- 2001 for Because of Winn-Dixie
- 2004 for Tales of Despereaux
- 2014 for Flora and Ulysses
Kate DiCamillo has received other honors as well.
- The Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award is given once a year to a new children's literature book and is selected by a vote from Vermont school children. Kate DiCamillo received this award in 2005 for Tales of Despereaux and in 2002 for Because of Winn-Dixie.
- The Anne V. Zarrow Award for Young Readers' Literature is a yearly award given to a nationally acclaimed author on behalf of the Tulsa County community for their contribution to young adult literature. Kate DiCamillo was given this award in 2007 for her outstanding books.
- The Indies Choice Awards is the largest international awards program that offers awards in over 80 categories. In 2010, Kate DiCamillo won an Indies Choice Award for Most Engaging Author.
- The Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book is an annual award given to an author and illustrator for the best book in Children's literature for the previous year. Kate DiCamillo and her illustrator Chris Van Dusen in 2007 for their work on the Mercy Watson Series.
- Kate DiCamillo was also presented with the honor of being A National Ambassador for Young People's Literature for 2014-2015. This award is given bi-annually to an author that has had a substantial impact on the library of young people's literature and is awarded by the Library of Congress.
A few of Kate DiCamillo's books have been made into movies. Her first book to be made a movie was Because of Winn-Dixie was made into a movie by 20th Century Fox in 2005. Her second book to be made into a movie was The Tale of Despereaux by Universal Pictures in 2008. In 2021 Disney released a movie based on Flora & Ulysses on their streaming network. Production has begun with Netflix to make a movie from The Magician's Elephant to be released in 2022.
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Kate DiCamillo is an American author specializing in children and youth literature. She is the author of many novels, chapter books, picture books, and short stories. Her first book was published in the year 2000, and she is still writing to top readers still today.
She has written many top selling children's literature. Her most well known is Because of Winn Dixie that was published in 2001. This book has won her a few awards and was made into a movie by 20th Century Fox in 2005. The Tales of Despereaux is also a well known publication of DiCamillo's. This book has also received several awards and was made into a movie by Universal Pictures in 2008.
Kate DiCamillo now lives in Minnesota, she is unmarried without any children. She has a strict rule to write at least two pages in a new book five times a day. There will without doubt be more Katie DiCamillo books in the future.
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Additional Info
Early Life
Before Kate DiCamillo was the author of popular books like Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tales of Desperaux, she was just a regular kid growing up in Florida. She was born on March 25, 1964 in Philadelphia, but moved to the Sunshine State when she was five years old.
As a kid, DiCamillo suffered from chronic pneumonia, a chest infection that causes you to be sick for long periods of time. Her mom decided to move the family from the much cooler Northeast to the South in hopes that it would help young Kate's health. If you've ever had pneumonia or know someone else who has, then you know that it causes you to cough a lot. DiCamillo was unable to run around and play like other kids her age, so she began reading books to experience adventures inside her own mind. DiCamillo's family also had a dog named Nanette. DiCamillo put her imagination to good use and often spent time playing dress up with the poodle.
Becoming a Writer
After Kate DiCamillo graduated from college, she took a job working in a book warehouse in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she worked closely with children's books for four years. But Minneapolis is a far cry from the South, and DiCamillo missed the warmth -- and especially missed having a dog like Nanette to keep her company. This, along with her work with books, led her to write her first novel, Because of Winn-Dixie. From there, DiCamillo has written several picture books, novels, and early-readers for children.
Books
Kate DiCamillo's books cover a wide variety of topics and describe vivid and engaging characters. While many of her stories are inspired by her early life, the characters and their adventures often come from her imagination. Each of her stories share a common theme: the ways that hope and perseverance can help you overcome any obstacle. DiCamillo attributes her ability as a writer not to luck or talent, but to hard work. In fact, she sets daily and weekly goals for her writing. She spends five days a week writing, and doesn't stop until she's written at least two pages each day. Talk about dedication!
Because of Winn-Dixie (2000) tells the story of India Opal Buloni, a little girl who moves to Florida with her dad, a preacher. India Opal Buloni is tired of moving around and misses her mother, but finds an unlikely friend in a local stray dog she names Winn-Dixie. She and Winn-Dixie have all sorts of adventures that bring her closer to the interesting people around her. The book was awarded a Newbery Honor and became a movie in 2005.
DiCamillo followed her first successful novel with The Tiger Rising in 2001. It's about a boy named Rob Horton who discovers a tiger in a Florida forest. Rob learns how to trust and share his feelings after making friends with a girl he also meets in the woods. Her second novel became a National Book Award finalist.
Other highly acclaimed titles from DiCamillo include The Tale of Desperaux, a story about a mouse and his escapades with a cat and a servant girl and Flora and Ulysses about a little girl and a squirrel. Both of these novels won Newbery Awards. Kate DiCamillo is also the author of the early reader series Bink & Gollie and Mercy Watson.
Lesson Summary
Kate DiCamillo is an American author. She was born in 1964 in Philadelphia but grew up in small-town Florida. DiCamillo struggled with chronic pneumonia as a child so she read books to experience new adventures when she couldn't play outside. After college, she got a job working in a book warehouse in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Missing the warm weather and having a dog inspired her first book, Because of Winn-Dixie (2000). DiCamillo has written several other novels, including Newbery Award winners The Tale of Desperaux and Flora and Ulysses. She has also written several picture books and two easy-reader series, Bink & Gollie and Mercy Watson. DiCamillo continues to write in Minneapolis today.
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