Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Kate DiCamillo
Katrina Elizabeth DiCamillo (born March 25, 1964) is an American author of children's fiction. She has published over 25 novels, including Because of Winn-Dixie (2000), The Tiger Rising (2001), The Tale of Despereaux (2003), The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (2006), The Magician's Elephant (2009), the Mercy Watson series (2005–2022), and Flora & Ulysses (2013). Her books have sold around 37 million copies. Four have been developed into films and two have been adapted into musical settings. The Tale of Despereaux and Flora & Ulysses won the Newbery Medal, making DiCamillo one of seven authors to have won two Newbery Medals.
Born in Philadelphia, DiCamillo moved to Clermont, Florida, as a child, where she grew up. She earned an English degree from the University of Florida, Gainesville, and spent several years working entry-level jobs in Clermont before moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1994. In Minnesota, DiCamillo worked in a book warehouse and attempted to get a book published. Her first book to be accepted for publication was Because of Winn-Dixie, which was critically and commercially successful. DiCamillo then left her job to become a full-time author.
From 2014 to 2015, DiCamillo was the American National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. She lives in Minneapolis and continues to write. Her newest book, Orris and Timble: Star Stories (the final book in the Orris and Timble early-reader trilogy), was published on April 7th, 2026. Her next book, Love & Mercy, will be published on December 8th, 2026.
Katrina Elizabeth DiCamillo was born on March 25, 1964, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Betty Lee DiCamillo (née Gouff), a teacher, and Adolph Louis DiCamillo, an orthodontist. DiCamillo is the sister of Curt DiCamillo, an architectural historian. She had chronic pneumonia as a child and was often hospitalized. In hopes of helping her sickness, the family moved to the warmer climate of Clermont, Florida, when Kate was five. Her father remained in Philadelphia with his business, but visited on occasion. Although he originally planned to move with the family after selling his practice, this never happened. In a 2023 profile in The New Yorker by Casey Cep, DiCamillo talked about the physical and emotional abuse her father inflicted on the family before their move to Florida.
DiCamillo enjoyed reading as a child and often visited the local library. She has said her mother sparked her love for books. DiCamillo also often turned to reading when she was particularly sick with pneumonia and unable to do much else. She wanted to be a veterinarian until she was around ten.
She was educated at public schools in the area beginning with Clermont Elementary, before entering Rollins College. DiCamillo left Rollins and worked for a time at Walt Disney World before briefly attending the University of Central Florida. She eventually entered the University of Florida, Gainesville, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English in 1987.
DiCamillo then worked various entry-level jobs in Clermont, including at Circus World, Walt Disney World, a campground, and a greenhouse. She said of her life during this time that she thought she was a talented writer and expected it to be quickly recognized so she "sat around for the next seven or eight years". DiCamillo moved to Minneapolis in 1994, following a close friend, and after several jobs was hired to work at The Bookman, a book warehouse and distributor, as a picker, eventually in the children's book section, a placement she was initially disappointed by. While working in the department, DiCamillo discovered The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963, a children's novel she greatly admired.
She began writing regularly while working at the warehouse, waking up before her shifts on weekdays to write. After four years in Minnesota, DiCamillo met the author Louise Erdrich, who encouraged her. DiCamillo submitted her books to several publishers. She received in return 473 rejection letters. She was also encouraged by the author Jane Resh Thomas. By the turn of the 21st century, despite her efforts, DiCamillo had published only several short stories aimed at adults.
Hub AI
Kate DiCamillo AI simulator
(@Kate DiCamillo_simulator)
Kate DiCamillo
Katrina Elizabeth DiCamillo (born March 25, 1964) is an American author of children's fiction. She has published over 25 novels, including Because of Winn-Dixie (2000), The Tiger Rising (2001), The Tale of Despereaux (2003), The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (2006), The Magician's Elephant (2009), the Mercy Watson series (2005–2022), and Flora & Ulysses (2013). Her books have sold around 37 million copies. Four have been developed into films and two have been adapted into musical settings. The Tale of Despereaux and Flora & Ulysses won the Newbery Medal, making DiCamillo one of seven authors to have won two Newbery Medals.
Born in Philadelphia, DiCamillo moved to Clermont, Florida, as a child, where she grew up. She earned an English degree from the University of Florida, Gainesville, and spent several years working entry-level jobs in Clermont before moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1994. In Minnesota, DiCamillo worked in a book warehouse and attempted to get a book published. Her first book to be accepted for publication was Because of Winn-Dixie, which was critically and commercially successful. DiCamillo then left her job to become a full-time author.
From 2014 to 2015, DiCamillo was the American National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. She lives in Minneapolis and continues to write. Her newest book, Orris and Timble: Star Stories (the final book in the Orris and Timble early-reader trilogy), was published on April 7th, 2026. Her next book, Love & Mercy, will be published on December 8th, 2026.
Katrina Elizabeth DiCamillo was born on March 25, 1964, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Betty Lee DiCamillo (née Gouff), a teacher, and Adolph Louis DiCamillo, an orthodontist. DiCamillo is the sister of Curt DiCamillo, an architectural historian. She had chronic pneumonia as a child and was often hospitalized. In hopes of helping her sickness, the family moved to the warmer climate of Clermont, Florida, when Kate was five. Her father remained in Philadelphia with his business, but visited on occasion. Although he originally planned to move with the family after selling his practice, this never happened. In a 2023 profile in The New Yorker by Casey Cep, DiCamillo talked about the physical and emotional abuse her father inflicted on the family before their move to Florida.
DiCamillo enjoyed reading as a child and often visited the local library. She has said her mother sparked her love for books. DiCamillo also often turned to reading when she was particularly sick with pneumonia and unable to do much else. She wanted to be a veterinarian until she was around ten.
She was educated at public schools in the area beginning with Clermont Elementary, before entering Rollins College. DiCamillo left Rollins and worked for a time at Walt Disney World before briefly attending the University of Central Florida. She eventually entered the University of Florida, Gainesville, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English in 1987.
DiCamillo then worked various entry-level jobs in Clermont, including at Circus World, Walt Disney World, a campground, and a greenhouse. She said of her life during this time that she thought she was a talented writer and expected it to be quickly recognized so she "sat around for the next seven or eight years". DiCamillo moved to Minneapolis in 1994, following a close friend, and after several jobs was hired to work at The Bookman, a book warehouse and distributor, as a picker, eventually in the children's book section, a placement she was initially disappointed by. While working in the department, DiCamillo discovered The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963, a children's novel she greatly admired.
She began writing regularly while working at the warehouse, waking up before her shifts on weekdays to write. After four years in Minnesota, DiCamillo met the author Louise Erdrich, who encouraged her. DiCamillo submitted her books to several publishers. She received in return 473 rejection letters. She was also encouraged by the author Jane Resh Thomas. By the turn of the 21st century, despite her efforts, DiCamillo had published only several short stories aimed at adults.