Author Kate DiCamillo, ready to meet fans and sign books
BY STEPHANIE FOX
A quarter century ago, a first-time children’s book author’s book got published, after 473 rejections from various publishers. Candlewick Press accepted the book when a young editor found it in a pile of unsolicited manuscripts sent by hopeful authors.
The first bookstore to carry “Because of Winn-Dixie” was the Red Balloon Bookshop, a children’s bookstore in St. Paul. It took only a year for the novel to win a Newbery Award from the American Library Association. Five years after the release, a movie based on the book showed up in theaters.
Now, 11 million copies have sold, and the book is still popular with young readers, their parents and their grandparents.
In August, the Red Balloon sponsored a celebration of the book at the Riverview Theater. Nearly 700 people showed up to watch a screening of the film and to have author Kate DiCamillo sign their copy of “Because of Winn-Dixie.” She has published more than 25 additional children’s novels.
Author DiCamillo brought her Irish Terrier, a rescue from local pet rescue organization The Bond Between, to join fans at the theater. And yes, the movie was as good as the book.
Fans line up at the Riverview Theater
DiCamillo, who lives in Minneapolis, said she didn’t start writing until she reached age 30. “When I turned 30, I was talking about writing and decided I needed to start to actually do it.” Her favorite book to write, she said, was “Flora and Ulysses,” a story about a squirrel who gets accidently sucked into a vacuum cleaner and becomes a squirrel superhero who can type poetry.
The movie based on the Winn-Dixie novel was no small-time production. Actors included Cicely Tyson, Eva Marie Saint, Jeff Daniels and Dave Matthews as well as a Berger Picard, a large and hairy breed of dog. It took two of these dogs, one named Scott and the other named Lyco, to play the loveable mutt, Winn Dixie, who can actually smile and does so in almost every scene.
“Because of Winn-Dixie” is the tale of India Opal Buloni, a 10-year old girl whose preacher father has moved her away from her friends to a small town in Florida. Opal’s mother abandoned the family years earlier, so her whereabouts are unknown.
Opal is sent by her father on an errand to the local Winn-Dixie grocery store, where she encounters a vagrant dog running loose inside the store. When the manager threatens to send the dog to the pound, she claims it as her own, says its name is Winn-Dixie, and takes it home with her.
With her new canine companion, Opal begins to explore the town, where she meets unique characters and makes new friends. Each character bears a backstory such as loss, loneliness, or fear, revealing some surprising connections among the members of the community. Winn-Dixie is Opal’s way into understanding other people’s lives.
DiCamillo is comfortable with her place in the literary community and with her fans. She is open and approachable when signing books and answering questions, and continues to write books for young people. Her newest book, published by Candlewick Press in 2024, is called “Ferris,” a funny story about a girl, a ghost, a grandmother and growing up.
DeCamillo signs books for fans.
What made you move to Minneapolis?
One of my best friends was moving back here and needed a roommate. I was at that point in my life where I needed something to change, and moving here was one of the best things I’ve ever done. It’s such a great literary community and so much support for the arts.
What made you decide to make India Opal Buloni’s father a Baptist preacher?
My best friend’s husband was in the seminary when I was writing Winn-Dixie, so preachers were very much on my mind.
Was Herman Block, who the library in the book is named after, a real person?
I made him up, but I grew up with a small town library (in a little house) called Cooper Memorial Public Library, and Herman W. Block Memorial library is a tip of the hat to that library which meant so much to me.
Your characters have unusual names: Stevie Dewberry, Gloria Dump, Miss Franny Block, Dunlap Dewberry, Sweet Pie Thomas. Why is this important to your writing?
Every part of writing is hard for me except for the names of the characters. They just kind of pop into my head. I’ve learned to keep a notebook with me so I can jot the names down when they appear.
Before Winn-Dixie, did you plan for a career in writing children’s novels?
I wanted to be a writer. I didn’t know I wanted to be a children’s book writer until I got a job at a book distributor called The Bookmen. I was on the third floor of that warehouse and that was where the children’s books were, and that is where I fell in love with the form. I would love to give a big “thank you” to all those teachers and librarians and parents and grandparents who read aloud to their children. It is such a meaningful gift to read a story aloud.
