Raymie Nightingale Hardcover – April 12, 2016

As with any book written by Kate DiCamillo, I knew going in that this book would have plenty of heart. And I was right, it did. In fact, in my opinion, that is the book's biggest strength. It's difficult not to feel empathy for Raymie, Louisiana, and Beverly. Each girl is struggling with their own heartbreak. By itself, this would make the book excessively sad, as so many middle grade books these days are. What lifts the book out of the depressing, is the friendship that develops between the three girls. It's this friendship that helps each girl find hope despite the heartache that engulfs them.The three girls meet at Miss Ida Nee's house to learn how to twirl a baton. Raymie has agreed to this is the hopes that it will help her win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition. And if she wins the competition and gets her picture in the paper, then her father will see it, and come home. Raymie comes up with what the reader knows pretty quickly isn't really a very viable plan in the days after her father has run off with a dental hygienist. But it's clear, despite DiCamillo's brief descriptions that Raymie is hurting and at a loss, and her mother is no help, lost in her own shock and grief. Having taken a lifesaving class the previous summer, Raymie is determined to rescue herself and her mother.At Miss Ida Nee's house she meets Louisiana, a young girl grieving the loss of her cat (dropped off at the Very Friendly Animal Center), and seemingly on the run with her grandmother from social services (not everything is as it seems). Louisiana is the imaginative, optimistic one of the group, but she starts the story fainting from guilt (she feels like she betrayed her cat, Archie). Beverly, on the other hand, seems very hostile as the story opens. She's very blunt and set in her ways, to her mother's great annoyance. But it becomes increasingly evident that Beverly's hostility is a cover for heartache of her own.As Raymie sets out to do a good deed (required to enter the contest), she takes along a book about Florence Nightingale to read to someone at the nearby home for the elderly. But things don't go according to plan and the book (library book) gets left behind. Raymie recruits Louisiana and Beverly to help her get it back, which triggers the growth of friendship between the three girls. As the girl's strive to help each other (after Raymie's 'crisis', Louisiana has a crisis of her own), they slowly come to grips with their broken hearts and discover that life can still be good and hopeful, despite the grief.Once again, I have to marvel at DiCamillo's ability to put so much heart into a book of such succinct chapters and short sentences. While the plot seems a bit strange, it was easy to overlook in the face of such sympathetic characters. After reading this, I found myself thinking about all the different heartaches that exist in the world and that it's often through our relationships with each other that healing comes. DiCamillo has created another thoughtful masterpiece.

Good story line and captivating to the audience it’s geared towards. Would recommend this author for other’s children to read. Nothing to dislike!

Kate DiCamillo is simply one of finest children's authors writing today. All of her books have been excellent, and frequently they are indescribable. When I read the I tried to explain it to a friend. "It's about a china rabbit who gets lost. And life. " She read it and told me it restored her faith in literature.When I started reading this book I thought I didn't like it as well as some of her other books. It was a little too random. And then as the book went on and I got to the ending, I found myself crying - once again, in a Kate DiCamillo book. How does she do it?This is a book about loss. It is a book about life, and death, and the disconnect you can sometimes feel with the world. Like all of her books, it is full of beautiful prose. It is full of random events and moments that somehow all connect into a moment of beauty.If you enjoyed this book, pick up The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane or , also by this author, if you were touched by the deeper themes of love and loss.Another similar and highly recommended book is

I am so sad to see that the first review that Amazon displays on this book is one that says to pass on this one. Do not pass on reading this book!This is a beautiful book about broken things, or maybe I should say broken people and hearts. It is about the discovering of one’s unique strengths and power over their circumstances and how none of us, even in our suffering and brokenness is never truly alone. While each character in this story is experiencing some hardship (abandonment, food insecurity and abuse), It is a story which is full of HOPE. Each character is completely and totally endearing and real. (I love Louisiana and her bunny barrettes!) It left me with my heart overflowing and a few tears in my eyes. Some have criticized this book for being “sad” or containing themes and issues which are not appropriate for a children’s book. I completely disagree. This book is very empowering. Not all children have idyllic or magical childhoods and this book plays an important role in giving a voice to that. Are we not all broken in some way? It is a good reminder for us all that even in our brokenness, we can be a light to others and of finding and using the power within. “You. Now. This you can do.”

I really have no words today and I've been trying to think of what to say about this book. I love Kate DiCamillo's work, there's always a deeper meaning hidden just below the surface. This book is an incredibly simple story happening in such a short time wherein the whole world changes. DiCamillo is a master at fitting in as much info as possible in so few words. We don't have to know everything, we're given a little bit of detail that says so much more.Raymie Nightingale is a great book in exploring how childhood is not simple and not always happy. There's a point where we all grow up and our childish views are left behind. Pain from our youth can alter the course of our lives, but friendships can help us endure and experience the positive side of life and growing up.There's so much to understand behind these three girls personalities and choices throughout the book. Again, so much is said in so little a gesture.I am so inspired, and so intimidated, by Kate DiCamillo's work. It's wonderful and I hope I'm not the only one who cries throughout her stories...I think there's a lot for kids to relate to in this story, a lot they can learn and maybe see the world in another light.

This story really hit home for me. It's just a little story about a girl feeling alone in the world but finding her self worth. I've loved Kate's writing since I've been in middle school. Something about her style is just so simple and yet so eloquent. I definitely recommend this book to girls and young women looking for a good book to read.

excellent great value

My granddaughter loved it!

I loved "Because of Winn Dixie" and was excited to read "Raymie Nightingale". I was very disappointed. i struggled to make myself finish the book. I am still not sure what the author was trying to tell us in this story. I bought this book for our school library, spent a lot of money on it and I can't see it being on anyone's list of favourite books.