Ferris by Kate DiCamillo

Emma Phineas Wilkey is a girl who was born at the fair in the shadow of the Ferris wheel which earns Emma the name “Ferris.” Her Grandmother, Charisse, was there to catch Emma in what she describes as a Love Story and claims that every good story is a love story.  This is a recurring theme of this wonderfully constructed story in true DiCamillo style, where family and community interactions provide a basis for a book that will become a favourite read aloud in many middle primary classrooms. 

Ferris has a variety of strange situations to deal with. Firstly, her little sister, who wants to become an outlaw, causes havoc wherever they go. Then she is recruited by her uncle to act as go-between for him and her aunt, thereby getting a strange new hairdo for her trouble. Meanwhile, much to her mother’s annoyance, her uncle is holed up in the family basement, painting the history of the world after separating from the aunt. Then her grandmother starts to see a ghost in the house, and enlists Ferris’ help to do something special to bring back the ghost’s long dead husband.

Boomer the dog features as one of the many interesting characters in this book, along with Ferris’ best friend, Billy Jackson, who lost his mother when he was born and plays the same song on the piano over and over, and their teacher, Mrs Mielk, whose vocabulary lessons still resonate with both Billy and Ferris and who is bereft after losing her husband recently. (The book features some excellent vocabulary which will provide extra discussion points throughout the read.) And of course, Charisse whose imminent death is the fact uppermost in Ferris’ mind. A satisfying ending will leave readers joyful and sad at the same time with much to think about and discuss about life and family.

Themes: Siblings, Grief, Family Life.

Gabrielle Anderson