Kate DiCamillo is one of my favorite children's authors. In this companion to Raymie Nightingale, we get to know Louisiana as she struggles with leaving Florida and her best friends. The story captures the fear and excitement of changes in life and reminds us the friendship can be found in unlikely places.

Kate DiCamillo never disappoints. I was beyond excited to get an eARC of Louisiana’s Way Home from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

As a kid who moved several times during my childhood, this one hit close to my heart. Louisiana is awakened in the middle of the night by her Granny who tells her they are moving. Immediately. Louisiana’s grief over leaving her friends and cat behind in Florida brought sympathetic tears. Once again,
Kate DiCamillo brings us unforgettable characters on an incredible journey.

Much like Edward Tulane, Louisiana and Granny will leave a lasting impression on young readers. I’m looking forward to using this as a read aloud in class next year.

I’m sure I’m missing something. I really loved the craft of this book...the writing captivated me. The story, however, lost me. Louisiana is snatched from her bed by her Granny in the middle of the night and taken “across the state line” because “the day of reckoning for the curse” has come. Granny proceeds to not feed the 12-year old, uses her to get rides and gas, needs her to drive the car erratically on the highway and in urban areas to a dentist because Granny is suddenly overcome with severe toothache, only to finally pass out at a motel. The next day Granny abandons Louisiana at the motel with a note recounting how they aren’t related she really just found her in a dumpster. Somehow all is good because Louisiana meets a boy who can break into a vending machine and steal stuff for her and her mom says they will adopt her. !?!?!?!?! She is neglected, abused, and abandoned but it all works out so beautifully in the end.

Kate DiCamillo is a wonderful storyteller. This was a heartwarming book that I enjoyed even more than the first one.

Kate DiCamillo has a gift for capturing the mind of young people. She creates characters that we empathize with and root for along their journey. This is an excellent read.

This was a sweet, sappy, very whimsical Floridian story. It was exactly what I this character needed following the first book in the series.

I devoured this book in one sitting. While I haven't read Raymie Nightingale, where Louisiana was first introduced, this book stands alone well. Louisiana has had a complex upbringing and suddenly leaving her home in the middle of the night with her Grandma brings all of these complexities to the forefront of her life. This is a story about an uncommon childhood, the strength of finding your 'home' and standing on your own. I have not read a book like this in quite some time, and returning to DiCamillo's wonderful writing style was a real treat as an adult who devoured her books as a child. I know for a fact that 5th grade me would have read this book and loved it as much as I do today.

Kae DiCamillo never disappoints. This book is a 5 star read, capturing all the warmth that DiCamillo is so good at conveying.. I enjoyed revisiting Raymie Nightingale, too!

Another gorgeous story by one of my all-time favorite authors. DiCamilllo has so many strengths, but compelling, endearing characters may be at the very top of the list. This one will be with me for a long time.

Kate Dicamillo continues to be a master of novels for children. Perfect for upper elementary classroom libraries and book clubs!

This sweet story feels like an instant classic. Any reader who meets Louisiana must be instantly charmed by her. She is so genuine and love able. This is the story of her finding her way not only home but to who she truly is. The characters she meets along the are just as genuine as she is. And the family curse that she fears is quirky and clever. It’s a feel-good little book with feel-good and heartfelt characters.

This book is a wonderful followup to Raymie Nightingale. This review is super late, but I am pleased to say that this book was selected for the state book award for which I am a committee member.

Yes to all of the books in this trio! DiCamillo's character building is on point. If you read one of these books, you'll want to read them all. Students who enjoyed Raymie Nightingale will definitely enjoy Louisiana's Way Home.

The second book in DiCamillo's trilogy of three friends is full of surprise and self-discovery for Louisiana. How friends and learning who you are can be not only a challenge, but a drastic change in Louisiana's life. Another beautiful story for middle grade readers.

Well, my reading the last couple of months has been far outpacing my reviewing, so I have a backlog of reviews to do. What better way to get back on track than with a wonderful book by Kate DiCamillo. I’m saying this as possibly her oldest (non-family member) fan. Should I be embarrassed that I am not a middle-schooler reading this, and that even my daughters have aged out of this genre? Nah.

Camillo’s writing evokes wonder in even the deepest, darkest places, and her stories almost always offer a quiet measure of hope. She has a knack for creating distinct, unusual characters whose stories—and names—you can’t help but love. Really, how could you not be compelled to read about a girl named Louisiana Elefante? If you haven’t read Raymie Nightengale, read that first, because the backstory is almost as good as this sequel. Quick, read them now, because Camillo’s newest book, Beverly, Right Here, just came out, and you’re going to need to read that one too. Trust me, you cannot go wrong.


For Goodreads:

Why I picked it — Because Kate DiCamillo wrote it, of course. And I wanted to know what happened to Louisiana and Granny.
Reminded me of… why I read her books, just perfect.
For my full review — click here

Louisiana Elephante is awoken in the middle of the night by her Granny, who is determined to begin a journey to undo the family curse, which was set in motion by Louisiana's great-grandfather. Along the way they run out of gas, and granny develops a severe tooth ache, which incapacitates her and is no longer able to drive. Twelve year old Louisiana takes over the driving duties, and is able to pull off the highway to find a dentist. They land in Richford, Georgia, and this is where the story begins. Characters in Richford range from the cranky and uncaring to loving and helpful. That is the strength of the story. Granny abandons Louisiana in order to get rid of the curse, and Louisiana finds her family as she knew it was fake. Richford offers her a new beginning with a real family and home. This is the second installment of the Kate DiCamillo's El Rancheros (Raymie Nightingale, Louisiana Elephante, and Beverly Tapinski).

In LOUISIANA’S WAY HOME, Kate DiCamillo tells of young Louisiana Elefante who is woken by her granny in the middle of the night to tell her that they’re leaving and never returning home. This book with Louisiana covers some deep topics in a way only DiCamillo can and does. This book celebrates the strength of the human spirit and reminds us of the good in most folks. Highly recommended for all Juvenile readers.

Kate DiCamillo has done it again. This is a tragically beautiful story. The characters are delightful and the storyline is wonderful. I highly recommend it.

Louisiana’s story comes after Raymie Nightingale, but both DiCamillo books can stand alone. In this novel, our young heroine is pulled from her bed, thrust into a car, and dragged away by her Granny to try and break the long time family curse that is supposedly about to fall on Louisiana in full force. But life gets in the way and just after crossing from Florida and into Georgia, the duo stops in a small town for some medical attention and Granny vanishes, leaving only a devastating note for her granddaughter. The primary characters from this point to the end are Louisiana, confused, hurt, and abandoned again, and Burke, a kind-hearted boy with a mischievous streak and a solid, loving family. Kate DiCamillo throws in some quirky extras to help lighten up what could be a pretty depressing book. Combining an organ-banging, distrustful church lady, a pipe-smoking, forthright preacher, and a cranky hotel-owner who never removes her curlers with a first person account that sounds a bit rambling and naive provides an excellent backdrop for all of Louisiana’s heartaches. Readers are likely to predict the ending, but that won’t make it any less satisfying. Recommended for those in grades 4-6 who enjoy a sad story with a happy ending. No profanity, violence or sexual content of any kind.

It took reading this title twice for me to enjoy it. The first time I found it very juvenile, but upon a second read (that also occurred after publication - the first was an arc), I thoroughly enjoyed Louisiana's story.