Book Review: Raymie Nightingale

Kate DiCamillo is one of my favorite authors for children and tweens. I adored listening to the third grade teacher I worked with enthusiastically share The Tale of Despereaux. I loved reading Because of Winn-Dixie to my youngest. We enjoyed Edward Tulane's journey (especially since it had a character named Bryce) and The Tiger Rising. My younger boys often requested "toast with a great deal of butter," in the words of Mercy Watson (DiCamillo's younger fare).

Thus, I have been holding off, with great anticipation, a chance to begin her new trio of books. I found Raymie Nightingale at Goodwill during a half-price sale. Then, when the pandemic hinted at days of isolation, I snatched up library copies of Louisiana's Way Home and Beverly, Right Here (wiping my card and the books down with a sanitizing wipe). I know it must be so hard to be an author with a widespread following. The pressure to perform must be immense. While I enjoyed this simple tale, the characters didn't entice like Despereaux, Winn-Dixie, or Edward Tulane.

Ten-year-old Raymie Clarke has a problem. Her father ran away with a dental hygienist. Now Raymie has a plan. She will compete in a beauty contest, get her picture in the paper, and win her father back. Thus, the book opens at a baton-twirling lesson where we meet Raymie and two other contestants, Louisiana Elefante and Beverly Tapinski. Each is a character in her own right; thus, each gets a book of her own.

I appreciated the hard life issues the book tackles: death, infidelity, abandonment. DiCamillo presents each with tender care and encouragement. I appreciated the inter-generational relationships between Raymie and Mrs. Borkowski, Louisiana and her grandmother, and the three girls and the residents at the Golden Glen nursing home. My favorite moment - when the tough Beverly holds Alice Nebbley's hand. Still, I never rose to a level of affection to match her earlier books. We shall see how I feel about Louisiana's story next.