Kate DiCamillo

Children's author Kate DiCamillo was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but her family moved to Florida when she was five years old because Kate suffered from chronic pneumonia.

From an early age DiCamillo loved to read. She read everything she could get her hands on and some of her favorites were: The Twenty-one Balloons, The Secret Garden, The Yearling and Ribsy''. Early into her college career, DiCamillo realized that she wanted to become a writer, but it was some years later that she actually set out working hard to reach her goal.

She names Katherine Paterson, Karen Hesse and Patricia MacLachlan as some of her greatest influences. She strongly believes that a writer must work hard to create stories and not rely on talent alone.

In 2001, DiCamillo won the Newbury Honor Book Award for Because of Winn-Dixie. In 2004 she won the Newbury Medal for The Tale of Despereaux.

Because of Winn-Dixie was adapted to film in 2005, and in October 2007 she published her first picture book Great Joy.

1. "Every well-written book is a light for me. When you write, you use other writers and their books as guides in the wilderness."
2. "I work full-time in a used bookstore. I get up. I drink a cup of coffee. I think, The last thing I want to do is write. Then I go to the computer and write."
3. "Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift."

• March 25, 1964: Kate DiCamillo Born

• 1969: Moves to Clermont, Florida for health reasons

• 1987: B.A. in English, University of Florida at Gainesville

• 1994: Moves to Minneapolis, Minnesota

• 1994: Works at a book warehouse on the children's floor

• 2001: Receives the Newbery Honor Book Award for Because of Winn-Dixie

• 2004: Wins the Newbery Medal for The Tale of Despereaux