Skip to main content

FABULOUS FINISH: Raymie Nigthingale


Raymie Nightingale
by Kate DiCamillo
Candlewick Press, 2016, Fiction 272 p.

Raymie's father ran away with his dental hygienist, but Raymie is convinced if she can win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire Competition, her father will be so impressed he will come back. She also believes in order to win the competition, she must learn to twirl a baton. When she goes to her first baton twirling lesson she meets two other girls, Louisiana and Beverly, whose lives are just as confusing as hers. Although the three couldn't be more different, they form a bond and give each other the emotional support they are not getting from their families. Here is a new book about working through loss by a beloved and acclaimed author. All three main characters are fully drawn, sympathetic and authentic.  This one is getting a lot of attention from reviewers and has the possibility of garnering Ms DiCamillo more Newbery attention. The book is available from the library in print, on CD, as an ebook, and as a audio download.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester 2008

J Fiction 328 pages I almost didn't finish this book. I got to Chapter 4, and was just about ready to quit (a kind of slow story about a girl, name of Piper McCloud, who discovers she can fly, parents freak out, she becomes a social outcast, yadda, yadda) but suddenly, right there in Chapter 4, the story takes a sharp turn and becomes really interesting . Piper finds herself in the company of others like her, but not "fliers", and under the care and authority of Dr. Hellion. I won't even tell you any more. Read this book. Forester does a great job of keeping you wondering who's the good guy and who's the bad? Piper is a likeable, strong, endearing character that girl readers will enjoy. But don't NOT give it to boys! The main male character is an extremely intelligent young man who is one of the ones you wonder about . . . good or bad? This is a good one, well worth your time.