Kate DiCamillo

Katrina Elizabeth DiCamillo (born March 25, 1964) is an American children's author. She is known for her award-winning children's books including Because of Winn-Dixie, adapted into film in 2005, The Tale of Despereaux, and the Mercy Watson series. She has no children.

Born in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, DiCamillo suffered from chronic pneumonia. At age 5, she moved to Clermont, Florida for her health with her mother and older brother, Curt. Her father stayed behind to sell his orthodontic practice and never rejoined the family in Florida.

DiCamillo majored in English at the University of Florida at Gainesville and worked various jobs after graduation until moving to Minneapolis at age 30. She began writing there around working in a book warehouse, where she met a sales representative for Candlewick Press and submitted a draft of what would become Because of Winn-Dixie.

Career

Her 2003 novel The Tale of Despereaux was inspired by a friend's son who asked her to write a story about an unlikely hero with "exceptionally large ears".

In 2005, Because of Winn-Dixie was released as a film by 20th Century Fox.Now sellingTwo books are slated for 2007 release: Mercy Watson, Princess in Disguise and another collaboration with illustrator Bagram Ibatoulline, Great Joy. She is a very good wrighter nd she is known for very good kids boook