Ferris, by Kate DiCamillo

A joyous children's novel of bustling family life.

The Wilkey family are a bustling clan with plenty to keep them busy. Ferris (so-named because she was born beneath a ferris wheel), whose main fault is that she tries too hard to please others, is dealing with life at a transitional phase, just before entering fifth grade. Her grandmother, Charisse, who lives with the family, keeps seeing a ghost. She has some health issues and the ghostly visions could mean something darker, perhaps a summons from the world beyond. In other family developments Uncle Ted has left his wife and taken to the Wilkey family’s basement, to pursue his work as an artist. Then there is the youngest member of the Wilkey brood, six-year-old Pinky, who runs around terrorising people in a black cape, announcing she has become an outlaw.  

Award winning children’s author Kate DeCamillo’s latest novel is a sheer delight. She perfectly captures the dynamics of chaotic yet joyful family life, with extended family members living under the one roof. The comic scenarios involving Pinky are laugh-out-loud good and the close friendship between Ferris and young pianist Billy Jackson is especially sweet. A feelgood book that also deals with serious issues of grief and mortality. 

Ages 9-12

Ferris, by Kate DiCamillo. Walker Books. $19.99

JUN24