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Kate DiCamillo. Presented by: Christy Ostrowski, Lesley Sylvan, & Reed Weeden H-810G, November 18, 2008. Biography. Grew up with a single mom Earned a BA in English Got a job at a book warehouse on the children's floor Her first book Because of Winn Dixie was published in 2000
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Kate DiCamillo Presented by: Christy Ostrowski, Lesley Sylvan, & Reed Weeden H-810G, November 18, 2008
Biography • Grew up with a single mom • Earned a BA in English • Got a job at a book warehouse on the children's floor • Her first book Because of Winn Dixie was published in 2000 • Writes at least 2 pages a day, travels to meet her readers, and works in a used bookstore • Teaches Writing for Children and Young Adults at Hamline University
Kate in a Nutshell "I am short. And loud. I hate to cook and love to eat. I am single and childless, but I have lots of friends and I am an aunt to three lovely children (Luke, Roxanne, and Max) and one not so lovely dog (Henry). I think of myself as an enormously lucky person: I get to tell stories for a living.” (Kate’s website)
Inspiration • Because of Winn-Dixie: inspired because she was cold in Minnesota, homesick for Florida, and longing for a dog • The Tale of Despereaux: inspired by a friend's son who asked her to write a story about an unlikely hero with "exceptionally large ears"
Themes and Ideas • Parental Abandonment • Redemption • Being Yourself • “I get my ideas from listening and looking and eavesdropping and imagining. Stories are everywhere. All you have to do is pay attention.”
Because of Winn Dixie • Ten-year old Opal is lonely after moving to small town in Florida with her father “the preacher” • She adopts a dog, Winn Dixie, who leads her to make new friends and form a community • Opal to her dog, “You are better at making friends than anyone I have ever known.” (pg. 57)
Picture Books, Early Chapter Books & Novels • Novels: • Because of Winn-Dixie (2000) • The Tiger Rising (2001) • The Tale of Despereaux (2004) • The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (2006) • Early Chapter Books: • 5 “Mercy Watson” books (2005-2008) • Picture Books: • Great Joy (2007) • Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken (2008)
Awards • Because of Winn-Dixie - 2001 Newbery Honor Book • The Tiger Rising - 2001 National Book Award finalist • The Tale of Despereaux - 2004 Newbery Medal • The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane - 2006 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction • Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride - 2007 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor
Resources • Kate’s homepage: http://www.katedicamillo.com/ • Interviews with Kate: http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/au-dicamillo-kate.asp,http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-dicamillo-kate.asp • Lesson plans, study guides, and teacher resources for Kate’s books: http://litplans.com/authors/Kate_DiCamillo.html • Excellent site for lessons plans, biography, web links: http://www.readwritethink.org/calendar/calendar_day.asp?id=678