Beverly, Right Here by Kate DiCamillo

Beverly, Right Here is the third book featuring characters from DiCamillo's beloved Raymie Nightingale. 

After Beverly's dog dies, she decides to escape her old life and make a new one. She ends up in a beach town, bunking with an elderly woman who lives in a trailer park, and busing tables at a fish restaurant. She has no intentions of making connections (and possibly breaking her heart - again), and indeed, brusque Beverly is sometimes hard to love. But an eccentric cast of characters surround her, giving her the push she needs to move forward. 

I'll be absolutely honest. Beverly was my least favorite of the Three Rancheros, so it's not surprising that I felt the least attached to her novel. That said, this was a very compelling read, and mature for a middle grade book. Beverly grapples with the bad relationship with her mother, feelings of abandonment (by her father and Louisiana), and a resigned suspicion that her life doesn't really matter. The book ends a bit awkwardly, but it reveals the evolution of her character, which is kind of a beautiful thing. 

I do hope more books are written about these characters. They are all deeply multi-dimensional and interesting to read about. 

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.