Ferris by Kate Dicamillo (review)
2024; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 77; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/bcc.2024.a917162
ISSN1558-6766
ResumoReviewed by: Ferris by Kate Dicamillo Kate Quealy-Gainer, Editor Dicamillo, Kate Ferris. Candlewick, 2024 [240p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781536231052 $18.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 3-6 Family life has always been a bit chaotic for Ferris, but the summer before fifth grade is especially so: her grandmother is seeing ghosts, her uncle has moved into her family’s basement to paint the “history of the world” after leaving his wife, and her six-year-old sister’s mischief has gone from cute to quite literally criminal. Ferris’ main goal is to help her beloved grandmother, who seems to be spending more and more time in bed, but Ferris’ steady nature and unflappability is a boon to everyone in her family, especially when her cool-in-a-crisis demeanor helps avert a terrible tragedy. Folksy charm and wholesome whimsy mark this as an easy readalike to DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie (BCCB 6/00), and the endearing portrayal of a loving family in disarray has just enough tension to keep the story interesting without any real threat of estrangement or discord. The third-person [End Page 209] narration has clear affection for each character, highlighting their strengths and noting their flaws with tenderness, as Ferris’ growing independence shifts family dynamics and roles. Pinky, Ferris’ sister, is a delightful menace, an agent of chaos with a lisp and an aspiration to be an outlaw, and it’s her bond with Ferris that brings about the book’s most climactic and emotionally charged moment. Fans of Winn-Dixie or Katherine Applegate’s books will find easy contentment and gentle amusement with Ferris and her loving, messy family. Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
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