Onmogelijk blauw

Three Rancheros #3

by Kate DiCamillo

Billie was al zo vaak van huis weggelopen,
maar toen was ze nog een kind.
Deze keer was het niet weglopen, dacht ze.
Het was vertrekken.
Ze was vertrokken.

Billie Tapinski, 14 jaar oud, is Vastbesloten om het in haar eentje te redden. Nadat ze haar hond Flappy onder de sinaasappelbomen heeft begraven, vlucht ze weg.

Billie wil van niemand afhankelijk zijn. En ze wil al helemaal niet dat iemand van haar afhankelijk is. Traag maar zeker ontdooit ze en ontdekt ze wie ze echt is.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Friendship, Childrens

154 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 24, 2019

About the author

Kate DiCamillo, the newly named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature for 2014–2015, says about stories, “When we read together, we connect. Together, we see the world. Together, we see one another.” Born in Philadelphia, the author lives in Minneapolis, where she faithfully writes two pages a day, five days a week.

Kate DiCamillo's own journey is something of a dream come true. After moving to Minnesota from Florida in her twenties, homesickness and a bitter winter helped inspire Because of Winn-Dixie - her first published novel, which, remarkably, became a runaway bestseller and snapped up a Newbery Honor. "After the Newbery committee called me, I spent the whole day walking into walls," she says. "I was stunned. And very, very happy."

Her second novel, The Tiger Rising, went on to become a National Book Award Finalist. Since then, the master storyteller has written for a wide range of ages, including two comical early-chapter-book series - Mercy Watson, which stars a "porcine wonder" with an obsession for buttered toast, and Bink & Gollie, which celebrates the tall and short of a marvelous friendship - as well as a luminous holiday picture book, Great Joy.

Her latest novel, Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures, won the 2014 Newbery Medal. It was released in fall 2013 to great acclaim, including five starred reviews, and was an instant New York Times bestseller. Flora & Ulysses is a laugh-out-loud story filled with eccentric, endearing characters and featuring an exciting new format - a novel interspersed with comic-style graphic sequences and full-page illustrations, all rendered in black and white by up-and-coming artist K. G. Campbell. It was a 2013 Parents' Choice Gold Award Winner and was chosen by Amazon, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and Common Sense Media as a Best Book of the Year.

Reviews

[Mischenko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beverly leaves home at the age of fourteen to get away from her mother who doesn’t seem to care about anyone but herself. She’s left home before, but she’s suffered enough abuse now and intends to make this permanent. There isn’t much of a plan, but after hitching a ride she decides to move into this new little town in Florida where she quickly gets a job busing tables at a restaurant. She meets an elderly woman named Iola who’s willing to help her get back on her feet. Beverly creates new relationships in this little community that in turn encourage her self-discovery.

“Imagine if you hadn’t found my trailer. Imagine if I didn’t need someone to drive the Pontiac. Then me and you wouldn’t have become friends, and you wouldn’t know how to dance. Oh, I’m glad I needed you. I’m glad you needed me.”

“I didn’t really need you,” said Beverly.

“Yes, you did, honey,” said Iola.

“Yes, you did,” said Elmer from the back seat.

“Okay,” said Beverly. “Whatever you people say.”

We’ve been reading the Three Rancheros series and couldn’t wait to get to Beverly’s story after meeting her in Raymie Nightingale. This final book concludes the trilogy. Beverly is a real firecracker and it’s not really understood why until this book. She’s been dealing with family issues for some time, and she’s matured a bit in the last four years. This character-driven story explores loss, friendship, forgiveness, kindness, and trust. It’s a poignant story that anyone can enjoy, but the messages it shares are wonderful for young readers.

4****

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite honestly, I am becoming a big Kate DiCamillo fan. Having enjoyed Lousiana's Way Home last year, I just couldn't resist reading her latest middle grade novel.

Fourteen year old Beverly Tapinski is devastated after the death of her dog and so she decides to leave and head out for adventure. Eccentric characters and hilarious situations occur and I fell into this tale immediately. I would certainly recommend it to a classroom library.

Goodreads review published 25/08/19
Publication Date 24/09/19

Thanks to Netgalley and Candlewick Press for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Carolyn Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I have to say is, thank you Kate DiCamillo!

[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the Three Rancheros series out of order. Louisiana’s Way Home was my first Kate DiCamillo read (ever) and it remains my favourite of the series. I absolutely adored Louisiana and every Burke Allen competed to become my favourite character.

When I read Raymie’s story I was introduced to this wonderful spitfire of a young girl called Beverly. I suspected at the time that Beverly would wind up being my favourite character of the series and couldn’t wait to read more about her. A little over three months ago I read her story and was shocked to discover that it was my least favourite book of the series at the time. I didn’t want to accept that so I decided a reread was in order. I’m so glad I tried again because I absolutely fell in love with Beverly’s story this time!

Before I go any further I want to share with you what is quite possibly my favourite passage of the entire series. It’s an excerpt of the author’s letter to the reader at the beginning of this book. It’s so beautiful that I keep rereading it. It makes me want to be a better person every time I see it.

Raymie Nightingale is about the saving grace of friendship. Louisiana’s Way Home is about deciding who you are. And Beverly, Right Here is about acting on that knowledge of who you are. They are all stories of becoming, I think. And all three of these books are about the power of community - the grace of someone opening a door and welcoming you in, and maybe most of all, having the courage to walk through that door once it’s open.

I get a little misty eyed even thinking about it. Anyway, without further ado …

It’s August 1979 and Beverly Tapinski is now 14 years old. Buddy, the one eyed “Dog of Our Hearts”, has died and Beverly has decided to leave home.

She had run away from home plenty of times, but that was when she was just a kid.
It wasn’t running away this time, she figured. It was leaving.
She had left.

Grieving the loss of her dog but determined not to cry, Beverly winds up at Seahorse Court. There she meets Iola Jenkins, an elderly lady who lives in a pink trailer with His Majesty, King Nod, an overweight grey cat.

In a crooked little house by a crooked little sea.

Pretty soon Beverly, who doesn’t like fish, is working in a seafood restaurant and eating tuna melts regularly. This child who believes she belongs to no one becomes important to some new friends and despite her best efforts not to let anyone into her heart, they find a way.

With a horse that takes you on a ride to nowhere, a determined and hopeful seagull and Christmas in July in August, this story cracked my heart wide open during my reread. I wanted to adopt both rough around the edges Beverly and quirky but loveable Iola, but my favourite character was Elmer. He’s polite, smart, sensitive and willing to step outside of his comfort zone, and he’s the type of friend that you know will be there for you no matter what. I adore him and would love to read about what happens to him in the years after this book finishes. Or he can just be my friend. Whatever comes first.

While I feel more satisfied after my reread and aren’t as desperate in my search for a nonexistent epilogue, I would love to one day learn that a fourth Rancheros book is being published, one that takes place 20 or 30 years later. It would be wonderful to catch up with this trio once they’re all grown up to find out what’s become of their lives and their friendship.

I’ve already read two of the Ranchero books twice and I loved both more the second time. I get the feeling that no matter how many times I return to them in the future I’m going to enjoy them more with every reread.

Content warnings include mention of the death of a beloved pet, inappropriate touching, bullying, abandonment and neglect.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Original Review 15 June 2019 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just finished reading and I have no idea what to write in my review so I’m going to ponder for a while. Oh, and while I’m at it, I’m going to frantically search for an epilogue because I don’t want to accept that the end is truly the end. I have too many question marks about everything that’s unresolved. I need closure!

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beverly, Right Here is a work of art. I am in awe of its beauty, perfection and nuances. This is how a middle grade masterpiece is written. I loved Raymie Nightingale. The book was magical. I may love Beverly, Right Here just as much if not more. How I adore reading middle grade books written with actual middle grade children in mind. Too often children's literature is written to please adults. In content and maturity level. Today's kid's are bombarded with depressing news and images in various media formats. Author's should allow them to have some escapism through their stories.

Every character in Beverly, Right Here is well developed and interesting. I think children will really "get" Beverly and come to care for her deeply as well as Iola, Elmer and Nod (the cat). I also love that the color Lapis Lazuli is mentioned frequently in the book. A favorite color of mine! It is easy to tell when a book is so good. The writing feels easy and personal. Almost like it was written just for you. A characteristic only the best children's classic titles possess. Books written by E.B. White, Beverly Clearly and Paula Danziger come to mind. There will be many accolades when Beverly, Right Here is officially released. It is truly a gem.

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third in a series that follows Kate DiCamillo’s Raymie Nightingale and Louisiana’s Way Home, and follows Beverly Tapinski who has faced the loss of her father who left when she was young, followed by, her friends Raymie and Louisiana whose families moved away leaving her to face her life with her alcoholic mother, with only her beloved dog, Buddy, to give and receive the love she so desperately needs.

And then Buddy dies, and with nothing left to tether her to this place, when her cousin Joe Travis who lives in Tamaray, Florida, Beverly thinks Buddy is dead – my dog is dead. They can’t make me stay. I’m not staying. No one can make me stay. And so she left. With her cousin, in his red Camaro.

It was a hot, August day in 1979 and she was fourteen when he dropped her off on A1A.

No stranger to running away, she is smarter than her age would imply, and knows enough to realize she will need to find a job, and a place to stay. A bit unrealistically, she finds a job right away, and soon after spies a phone booth, where she stops to phone her mother – not for help, but just to inform her that she’s okay, to which her mother replies ”Whoop-de-do.” She hangs up, she closes her eyes for a minute, and opening them notices the words scratched in the glass above.

In a crooked little house by a crooked little sea.

It sounded to her like the beginning of a story. And, as her new story begins, she begins walking down the road, and meets Iola Jenkins, a lonely older woman who ends up offering her a place to stay, in her pink trailer with its crooked steps, by the sea.

I loved reading this latest book in this series by Kate DiCamillo, and while I know this is listed as the last one in this series, I’m torn between wanting it to continue and realizing knowing this is such a perfect conclusion, offering humour and hope for the future.


Many thanks, once again, to the Public Library system, and the many Librarians that manage, organize and keep it running, for the loan of this book!

[Nora|KnyguDama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skaitydama „Luizianos kelią namo“, nė neįtariau, kad tai yar knyga iš serijos. O pasirodo yra: tai trys knygos apie paaugles, ieškančias savo namų ne namuose. Luizianos knyga buvo šmaikšti su liūdna potekste. Mergaitė gyvena su savo močiute ir bėga iš namų nuo prakeiksmo. Pabėgus, ji ilgisi savo draugių, kurirų viena - Beverlė. O apie tą Beverlę skaitome šioje knygoje.

Istorijos tema labai panaši: Beverlei savo namuose irgi negerai. Palikusi geriančią ir ja nesurūpinančią mamą, mergaitė traukia bet kur, nes jai nebereikia žmonių, draugijos, bendravimo. Nieko. Jai reikia ramybės, stabilumo, kuriuos ji tikisi rasti mažame miestelyje prie vandenyno. Atkakus čia, ji susirandą darbą žuvies užkandinėje ir visai netyčia apsigyvena su seneliuke Jola. Beverlė bendrauja vienskiemeniais žodžiais, į dideles kalbas nesileidžia, tadžiau mažo miestelio žmonių širdys didelės ir galbūt dar yra vilties, jog Beverlė jomis patikės.

Graži, prasminga ir tikrai smagi knyga su labai originaliais veikėjais. Šioji man patiko labiau nei Luiziana. Ne vieną citatą net užsirašiau. Beverlė kalba labai mažai, bet iš to ką pasako, puikiai jauti kokia ji liūdna ir kaip pasaulis ją nuvylė. Per tą patį liūdesį atsiranda ironija ir sarkazmas, kuris nori nenori prajuokina ir panūsti su Beverle susidraugauti. Tikrai labai įdomi, lengvai besiskaitanti, tačiau širdy užsiliekanti istorija. Rekomenduočiau nuo kokių 10 iki 99+ skaitytojams :D

[Susan's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Magical writing and great character development. I was riveted, watching a closed-off Beverly slowly evolve into a fuller, happier young person. This book really highlights the damage people do to one another when we isolate or exclude anyone in a community, or fail to ensure that children are adequately cared for, emotionally and physically. Beverly had to leave town, get a job and learn to become a part of a community of her own choosing. Just a wonderful story with enough loose ends to keep you reading on in this series. Highly recommended.

[KC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fourteen year-old Beverly Tapinski is no stranger to running away from her alcoholic mother, but after the death of her beloved rescue dog Buddy, she leaves for good, ending up moving in with an elderly woman whom she befriends, driving her to BINGO, gets hired to bus tables, and finds a town full of people that give her the courage to come to terms with her loss and to eventually face herself. Everything Kate DiCamillo writes is golden.

[DaNae · Rating 5 out of 5]

In BEVERLY, RIGHT HERE DiCamillo proves again that she is the master of proving that small acts of generosity matter, as simple as a dime for a horse that goes nowhere. That looking out for each other matters, like teaching someone to dance or writing someone's name over and over again eighty times. And that even flawed people deserve happiness, acceptance and a place to call home.

I was whining to myself the other day about how weary I was growing of reading books where children suffered from the bad choices and sins of their parents. And by sins, I mostly mean illnesses: alcoholism, depression and other mental illnesses. I understand, I really understand, that an important benefit of literature is allowing children to see the the hard parts of their own worlds reflected back, reinforcing that they are not alone. And to build empathy and compassion in readers who are on the outside of a particular issue. But in the case of 2019, my shoulders are sagging under the pure weight of the terrible issues children face. Makes a girl want to turn to reruns of the Penderwicks. Then along comes Beverly, a runway escaping her alcoholic mother, who flies straight into the caring hands of an older woman dealing with depression. At their first meeting, she moans to Beverly that she has, 'mislocated my capabilities.' Instead of feeling burdened with Beverly's problems, this book elevated my mood and sent it floating into the sky, (on the wings of angles, to steal a metaphor from the book at hand).

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fitting end to the Three Rancheros trilogy in "a crooked little house by a crooked little sea." Beverly Tapinski leaves the grave of her beloved dog Buddy and hitches a ride to Tamaray. Once she gets there she starts walking and experiencing what is right there. Beverly is a resilient young lady who is wise beyond her years. As she makes her way through town, she makes a difference in the lives of everyone she meets. Of course, even though Beverly's dear dog has died there are new animals to liven up her stay in Tamaray in a persistent seagull and a cat named Nod. (Beverly does not like cats, but Nod falls in love with her.) DiCamillo has given us yet another classic story to cherish and I can envision it being picked up as a read aloud in classes all over the country.

Thank you to Candlewick and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jordan Henrichs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely my favorite of the Three Rancheros. While this fits squarely inside DiCamillo's world, it's a much smaller story than its predecessors, more focused than Raymie and more believable than Louisiana. Reminds me more of Winn-Dixie and The Tiger Rising than Rancheros #1 and #2, which I liked. In typical DiCamillo fashion, the supporting cast of characters are fantastic. It amazes me how much personality she is able to pack into the dialogue of her characters, some with very little page time or speaking parts. It also amazes me how she can be so dreary but hopeful all at the same time.

Hard not to be in awe of the writing, but I still feel like I'm missing something when I read these girls' stories. Like DiCamillo is trusting me to see something I'm not quite seeing.

[Skip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Following the death of Buddy, her beloved dog, 14-year old Beverly Tapinski loses her anchor and leaves home, arriving in a small Florida town, with no grand plan and little in the way of money or food. Beverly is taken in by an elderly woman, who is starved for companionship. She takes a job in a local seafood restaurant busing tables, and makes a friend with a 16-year old boy working in a convenience store when she sees his kindness to others. What Beverly cannot see is her own kindness, which she discovers over the course of her stay. For example, spending much of her pay to buy enough raffle tickets so the elderly woman can win the world's largest turkey in the Christmas in July celebration.

[Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it even more the second time


Wow….I was so impressed by this book. I read the first two books and thought they were pretty good, then I read Beverly, Right Here and I fell in love with it! It was so heartwarming and will be a book that I will want to re-read over and over again.

I need Kate DiCamillo to write more cute little romances like this because it was perfect in every way! I can’t even say how much I loved this book!! I would rate it six stars if I could.

[Clara · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS ISN'T OUT FOR EIGHT MONTHS BUT IT GETS 5 STARS BECAUSE KATE DICAMILLO.
Come quickly, September. O_O

- September 2019 -

*cries for a million years* GO READ IT.

[kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beverly Tapinski leaves home. She is 14. It is 1979. She finds a job, a place to stay, and makes a friend.

I picked this up on Beth's recommendation and read it pretty much straight through in an afternoon because it's an easy to read book. It's a story about decisions to leave and decisions to stay; it's a story about growing up and growing out; it's a story about connections and allowing those connections to matter.

I haven't read any of the other books in this trilogy, about Raymie or Louisiana, but I almost don't need to? There's something so complete about the story of a girl who leaves, who separates herself from where she came from, that would infringe on this, somewhat. I'm sure Raymie and Louisiana are decent characters on their own, but this book is about Beverly, right there.

I'm glad I read it; I enjoyed it.

[Marta Demianiuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

To mój ulubiony tom z tej serii, co bardzo mnie zdziwiło, bo Beverly polubiłam najmniej przy pierwszym spotkaniu. Ale opowieść o niej chwyciła mnie za serce najbardziej.

To jedna z dziwniejszych serii dla młodszej młodzieży jaką czytałam. Stara Ameryka, dzieci (10-14 lat) jakby bez nadzoru muszą radzić sobie same po różnych przejściach. A w tym przyjaźń, ludzkie dobro i jakaś taka nadzieja, że będzie lepiej.

Bardzo ciekawe książki.

[Katie Ziegler (Life Between Words) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really do love Kate’s writing. Simple, lyrical, and profound. This is a little darker than the other two books in the Three Rancheros series, but at the center is still the same sweet heart and the longing of a little (or not so little) girl in search of home. ❤️

[Jae · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There were stars in the sky - not a lot of them, but enough to convince you that there was something bright somewhere behind all of that darkness."

Last of the Three Rancheros trilogy by Kate DiCamillo, and another memorable book.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really liked this! I wasn’t so sure at the beginning how I was going to like it but by the end of the story, I had really grown attached to the characters. I love the depth that Kate DiCamillo adds to her stories. Even though they are labeled as children/ middle grade, anyone can enjoy them and take something inspiring away from them.
An enjoyable read!

Note:The audiobook was so good!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The whole series was great, but this one is my favorite out of the three. It had so many beautiful themes and emotions that, even as an adult, I was emotionally moved by. I would recommend reading the series in order though, so you can approach each book with a fuller understanding of the characters. I’m going to need a hardcover of this one.

[Joey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could read 100 more books about Raymie, Beverly, and Louisiana.

[Michal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to hug all the characters in this book.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

November 2020: Still more spectacular than anything published last year and - from my admittedly limited knowledge - better than this year’s crop, too. Deceptively simple. A tour de force.

January 2020: What a spectacular piece of writing this is, from its title about Beverly, who is always leaving, to the story, about where she ends up, and what she does when she gets there. This is a book distinguished by its setting, by its beautifully deliberate writing, by the brightness of its colors and the way those colors convey contrast and place and characterization.

Instead, she went down to the beach. She stood and stared at the big indifferent ocean. It sparkled as if nothing at all were wrong. The sand was hot. The sky was a merciless blue - not a lapis lazuli blue, not an angel-wing blue, but the washed-out, giving-up blue of the end of things, the blue of August in Florida.

I think Elmer steals the show. This is Beverly’s book - but it’s Elmer, who is steady and open and present, who facilitates that. The way his story is told - the way Elmer tells it, in bits and pieces; the way Beverly listens and responds, piecemeal as well, to the extent she can - they break my heart.

And the way the book ends, like it’s a too-bright interlude interspersed with both the mundane and the fantastical (the world’s largest turkey, the tackle, angels in dreams, the crooked sea, the equity strike, Dartmouth, the seagull, that horse) - there’s something both larger than life and very contained about it, as if it’s not quite real while also the first time Beverly has come to grips with her own impact on the world around her. With the questions she asks, and the way she asks them, and the way that changes over the course of the book - (“It’s not killing me,” said Beverly. “It’s doing the opposite of killing me.”) -

“It will always have the crease, I suppose,” said Iola. “But it’s yours, and you should keep it, honey.”

Ain’t that the truth.

I’m resorting to cliche because I’ve run out of words for how spectacularly written this is, with its colors and contrasts and characters. I want more. I want a sequel about Elmer. I want another story about Raymie, who’s been left again. Beverly wasn’t ready to think about collateral damage when she left; she just couldn’t stay. In a way this is her pre-coming-of-age story. She’s unstuck now - now she can begin growing up.

This is beautiful, beautiful classic middle grade fiction. If the Newbery doesn’t recognize this later this month, I will strike.

[Leonard Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to audiobook, but I'm going to read it as soon as my copy comes in. Stands among DiCamillo's very best, though I don't think it will be as popular as Winn-Dixie or Despereaux. In some ways, it is more similar to DiCamillo's earliest books, Winn-Dixie and Tiger Rising, than anything she's written since. Her later books tended to have similar authorial voices -- very different characters would all sound like Kate DiCamillo, as great as that is. What's especially impressive here is that this book has essentially the same setup as Louisiana's Way Home, but feels completely different, and is still completely Kate DiCamillo without being a caricature of Kate DiCamillo. It is very slightly older than her previous fare (again more Tiger Rising than anything) - the words "piss" and "crap" are here and one sexual innuendo and more than a touch of romance. Last thing -- perhaps this is not DiCamillo's plan, and yes there's already a book called Raymie Nightingale, which was caricature DiCamillo, but after Louisiana and Beverly, DiCamillo really should give Raymie a solo book of her own -- it would be a towering trilogy (with Raymie Nightingale a sort of prequel.)

[Queen Cronut · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the emotional rollercoaster of Louisiana's Way Home, I thought I was prepared for this one.

Correction: I thought wrong because alas, I was not ready for this one.

Beverly, Right Here finishes the series about the Three Rancheros. My rating system of the series looks something like this now:

Louisiana's Way Home > Beverly, Right Here > Raymie Nightengale

Although Beverly Tapinski wasn't my favorite... I adored her by the end of this. Following the aftermath of her beloved dog's death, Beverly runs away to pursue a new life. What really made this book shine was the eccentric cast of characters and Beverly's character growth.

As the title suggests, Beverly must learn who she wants to be right here, in the present as she comes to terms with her past. This book explores Beverly's journey of self-discovery and her character arc was absolutely phenomenal Loved this book- can't wait for more of Kate DiCamillo's works.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for providing a free ARC

[Zoey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of three friends that began in Raymie Nightingale is concluded in this third book.

Beverly's spunk and honesty has made her one of my favorite characters from the beginning. But it's in Beverly, Right Here that we really get that final picture of who she is and who she wants to be.

Kate Dicamillo has created a masterful series. It's not packed with action or daring plot twists or subplots so don't approach it with those expectations! But rather it a straightforward look at the longings and intricacies of the heart. We watch as these lovable but hurting characters are handed hope through humor and friendship.

Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Chloe the MovieCritic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Oct. 16th binge of Kate DiCamillo is done. I can't believe that I've been at this for 9 years now? I don't see it ending anytime soon.

My goal in life is to write books like Kate DiCamillo. Books where nothing happens, yet everything happens. Books where characters go to their darkest depths but come out the other side. Books where characters find family and forgiveness. Books about losses and gains. Books that forever change the reader.

Also, the slow burn of two characters slowly caring about each other and really seeing each other is one of my favorite things. 200 pages shouldn't be enough to make me care about some kid named Elmer, yet here we are.

More thoughts here: https://moviesmeetmatch.blogspot.com/...

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beverly, Right Here is the perfect finale to Kate DiCamillo’s wonderful series. This book is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. But above all, it highlights the importance of seeing the good in others, the need to trust and rely on other people, and the power of letting people in.

If you’re looking for a book with complex, utterly lovable characters, and insightful dialogue, pick up Beverly, Right Here! Read my full review here.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Jude · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beverly, Right Here is another super sweet book by Kate DiCamillo.