Kate DiCamillo, Ferris, Walker Books, April 2024, 240 pp., RRP $19.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760659240
Ferris is the latest book by DiCamillo who is a best-selling, highly acclaimed US author, having twice won the prestigious Newbery Medal. She is famous for her well known works which include The Tale of Despereaux and Flora and Ulysses as well as many others.
This new story is told in the first person by Ferris Wilkey whose family life is eventful due to the antics of eccentric family members. Little sister, Pinky, pretends to be an outlaw (and acts like one), heartbroken Uncle Ted sends Ferris on errands to try unite him with his ex-wife and Dad thinks there are raccoons in the roof. Further complicating things is Grandmother Charisse’s certainty that she is seeing a resident ghost who has an elaborate plan for Ferris to help re-unite her with her husband’s ghost.
But, with Charisse’s health declining and favourite teacher, Mrs Mielk, grief stricken, the story also explores some serious themes of grief, loss and family and community togetherness.
Ferris is typical of DiCamillo’s extraordinary talent and skill for developing vibrant, distinctive, eccentric characters and engaging, humorous, original stories that are heartfelt with thought-provoking themes.
I also love narrator Ferris’s witty references to her newly learnt vocabulary and word definitions, making for a playful learning experience. This, combined with DiCamillo’s well-crafted metaphors and personifications and the story’s thoughtful themes, make for interesting classroom discussions. The publisher has provided teacher notes for this purpose.
Ferris is an engaging read, suitable for 9-11 year olds. It would also work well as a class shared reading or a family shared reading.
Reviewed by Barbara Swartz
