The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

We (me, Austin, Nyah) really enjoyed reading this book, and have recently been reading our favorite chapters. This book is the story of Edward, a 3 foot tall porcelain rabbit, who is self-centered and has never bothered to learn about real love. He is loved by a girl, Abilene, who unfortunately loses him while traveling by ship to England. Two boys snatch him up and begin tossing him back and forth between them, when he is suddenly lost over the side of the ship. He then begins his miraculous journey by sinking to the bottom of the sea, where he stays many months, before being rescued by a fisherman's net, and taken home by the old fisherman as a gift for his wife, where Edward is christened Susanna and dressed accordingly. The fisherman and his wife love and care for Edward, but soon their daughter arrives after hearing rumors of her parents treating a doll like a child. She tosses him into the garbage, and he ends up in the dump where he remains buried by trash until he is rescued by a dog. Then begins Edwards journey with a hobo and his dog, who again treat him as part of the family. After several years Edward is tragically separated from his companions, and finds himself picked up by an old woman who gives him the job of scarecrow for her garden. He is rescued by a boy as a gift for his sick and dying little sister. When the sister does die, the boy takes Edward and uses him as a puppet to dance to his harmonica music to support himself. Once the boy earns money he goes to a diner for lunch, but finds he doesn't have enough to pay the tab. The cook reacts by smashing Edward's head onto the counter. Through all of his journeys Edward has learned about loving and caring for others, but when he awakes and discovers the boy has given him up to a doll repairman in exchange for fixing Edward, Edward decides he will not love again and hardens his heart. But what does the future hold for Edward as he sits on the store shelves day after day watching customers come and go?

I admit I cried at the end of the book. It was a wonderful ending.

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