"The Miraculous Journey of Edward Toulane" by Kate DiCamillo

I read Kate DiCamillo's The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.  This is the third book by Ms. DiCamillo that I've read and reviewed.  The others:  Flora & Ulysses, and The Tale of Despereaux.  I will also be re-reading Because of Winn Dixie this week and reviewing it.


Although I don't usually read reviews before I read an award winning book by a well-known author, I did read some reviews before reading The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.  The ratings and comments were all over the map.  Some loved it, some hated it.  Some wanted to share the story with everyone, others wanted to protect children from it. With this background opinion and differing thoughts whirling around in my head, I went ahead and read it.

It was all the things everyone said.  The story is about a china Rabbit (a doll) who is very vain.  He's perfection itself and dressed to the nines.  He's well-loved by Abilene, the little girl he was bought for, but he feels and displays no love for her.  He doesn't get to stay with this lovely little girl. He is lost at sea and has many adventures over many years.  In the course of his life experiences he does learn love in all it's painful and beautiful guises.  In the end of the story he is a much-changed china rabbit. It has a happy ending, for which I'm glad, but it was hard going to get there.

Some people were hurt by the pain and suffering Edward Tulane endured.  Some were put off by his lack of feeling in the beginning of the book.  Some felt it was too difficult a book, too painful a book for children to read or hear.  Others thought it was amazing to see the transformation brought about by suffering and learning to love.  

At first I wasn't "charmed" by the character.  I thought, what a disgusting creature.  I tried to guard my emotions.  But then I got caught up in the story.  I had trouble putting it down. And like many readers, I cried.  So I add it to the list of great books by Kate DiCamillo and I continue to recommend all of her books and to read them.  I hope you will, too.

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Books by Kate DiCamillo:

Flora & Ulysses
The Tale of Despereaux
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Because of Winn Dixie
The Magician's Elephant
The Tiger Rising
The Mercy Watson Series


More information at http://www.katedicamillo.com

Another Newbery Award!   Flora and Ulysses: the Illuminated  Adventures was awarded the 2014 John Newbery  Medal for "the outstanding contribution for  children's literature." Ambassador Kate!   January, 2014:  The Library of Congress has announced  that Kate is the new Ambassador for  Young People's Literature. A new ambassador is  named every two years and travels to promote  reading. Previous ambassadors were  John Scieska, Katherine Patterson, and Walter  Dean Myers. More here. The Kerlan Award   The University of Minnesota Libraries presented  Kate the 2013 Kerlan Award in June, 2013 The Kerlan Award is presented annually  “in recognition of singular attainments in the  creation of children’s  literature and in appreciation  for generous donation of unique resources to the  Kerlan Collection for the study of children’s  literature.” Previous winners include  Walter Dean Myers, Katherine Patterson,  Jean Craighead George, Lois Lowry, and Karen Hesse.

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Tags:  
Kate DiCamillo, children's books, award winning books