The Amazing Kate DiCamillo

If you’ve read chapter books to a child in the last eight years, one of them has probably been written by Kate DiCamillo, or it certainly ought to have been. Since the publication of her first novel Because Of Winn Dixie, a Newberry Honor Book, she has written three more, each to critical acclaim, and sold more than 10.5 million books worldwide. The Tiger Rising was a National Book Award finalist. The Tale Of Despereaux won the 2004 Newberry Medal — the film version (widely anticipated) will open on December 19th. The Miraculous Journey Of Edward Tulane won the 2006 Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for fiction.

In addition, she has also penned a series of picture books starring Mercy Watson, a lovable pig and the bestselling holiday book, Great Joy.

Not one to rest on her laurels, DiCamillo’s next book, The Magician’s Elephant, will be released in Fall, 2009–and the film rights have already been sold, with Julia Pistor, executive producer of Charlotte’s Web and Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, as the producer.