Kate DiCamillo

Kate DiCamillo is an author best known for her work in children's fiction. Hailing from Florida and now based in Minneapolis, DiCamillo began her writing career with her debut novel, "Because of Winn-Dixie," which won a Newbery Honor. Her follow-up, "The Tiger Rising," was a National Book Award finalist. Over the years, DiCamillo has published over 25 novels, including "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane," a story of shared humanity and connectedness that became an instant #1 New York Times bestseller. She has twice been awarded the Newbery Medal, first for "The Tale of Despereaux" and later for "Flora & Ulysses." Her books, which explore themes from hope and belief to abandonment and resilience, are beloved worldwide, with almost 37 million copies in print.

In addition to her successful writing career, DiCamillo served as the American National Ambassador for Young People's Literature from 2014 to 2015. She was also instrumental in leading the Collaborative Summer Library Program's summer reading campaign in 2015 and 2016. Such contributions to literature have earned her wide recognition; in 2019, she received the Regina Medal, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz declared March 29, 2020, as Kate DiCamillo Day. Her efforts to promote children's literature have been documented in major publications like The New York Times and The New Yorker.

DiCamillo's works have found success beyond the bookshelf. Several of her books have been adapted for the screen, including "Because of Winn-Dixie," "The Tale of Despereaux," and "The Tiger Rising." "Flora & Ulysses" was released as a streaming film on Disney+ in 2021, and "The Magician's Elephant" was adapted into a musical by the Royal Shakespeare Company the same year. DiCamillo's storytelling continues to captivate audiences; her most recent publications include "The Beatryce Prophecy" and "The Puppets of Spelhorst," and "Ferris" and "The Hotel Balzaar" were released in 2024.