Louisiana is woken at 3am by her Granny telling her they are leaving as the day of reckoning has arrived. Her Granny believes that there is a curse on their heads, the curse of sundering. After a few hours drive, they cross from their home in Florida into the state of Georgia.

Not long into their journey Louisiana’s Granny takes ill with tooth pain and ends up at the dentist who tells her all her teeth are bad and removes them all, leaving Granny in a lot of pain and needing to rest for a while. So for the next few days a motel is their home run by a woman who hates the place and everybody who stays there.

Whilst in Georgia Louisiana meets lots of new people including bad-tempered organist Mrs. Lulu, Reverend Obertask who she thinks looks like a Walrus and the Allen family including three generations of the same name – Burke Allen. Louisiana has one wish though, she wants to go back home to her friends and pets, but Granny is determined that they will never go home again.

We first met Louisiana Elefante in Kate DiCamillo’s amazing books ‘Raymie Nightingale‘, which I reviewed back in 2016. The book is set in 1975 and followed the life of Raymie and her two best friends Beverly and Louisiana. This book is Louisiana’s story.

It has been written as if it is Louisiana writing her own story so that we have evidence should something happen to her. Her Granny is very eccentric. We learn from the first book that the pair live in a house without furniture, including no TV or telephone. The only thing her Granny believed in was some curse from many, many years ago and the power of song.

Ms. DiCamillo really has a way with words and with her vivid imagination, you will find yourself being sucked into Louisiana’s world and hoping that she can make it back to her friends again.

The characters are unique, interesting and bring the story to life, especially Louisiana who is learning to not be quite as scared as she normally is, this is a girl whose middle name seems to be fear, but now she needs to be brave.

The book might contain a sad story but it is not a sad book. In fact, there are plenty of amusing moments within the pages. There is also a big revelation too which not only shocks Louisiana but it will shock the reader as well.

Whether you are young or old this is an amazing read. Louisiana’s Way Home can be read as a standalone but if you want to fully understand Louisiana and her Granny it is best to read Raymie Nightingale first which is an outstanding book. I was going to say I hope that Ms. DiCamillo write more books in the series but I have just found out that in September 2019 ‘Beverly, Right Here’ is due to be release. I can’t wait.

Louisiana’s Way Home Author Info

I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, raised in Clermont, Florida, and currently live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I write for both children and adults and I like to think of myself as a storyteller.

Here are a few more facts about me: I am short. And loud. I hate to cook and love to eat. I am single and childless, but I have lots of friends and I am an aunt to three lovely children (Luke, Roxanne, and Max) and one not so lovely dog (Henry).

I think of myself as an enormously lucky person: I get to tell stories for a living.

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