The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
by Kate DiCamillo
About the book
Edward Tulane is a china rabbit belonging to 10-year-old Abilene. Edward falls into the sea, after mean boys rip him from Abilene's hands during an ocean voyage. Thus begins Edward's journey from watery grave to the gentle embrace of a fisherman's wife, to the care of a hobo and his dog, and into the hands of a dying girl. Then, pure meanness breaks Edward apart, and love and sacrifice put him back together—until just the right child finds him. With every person who touches him, Edward's heart grows a little bit softer and a little bit bigger. Bruised and battered, Edward is finally more beautiful than ever.
About the author
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, The Tale of Despereaux, and the Mercy Watson series.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, DiCamillo suffered from chronic pneumonia. At age 5, she moved from Philadelphia to Clermont, Florida for her health with her mother and older brother, Curt DiCamillo. Her mother was a teacher. Her father stayed behind to sell his orthodontic practice and never rejoined the family in Florida. Curt is an architectural historian and lives in Boston. Kate lives in Minneapolis.
DiCamillo majored in English at the University of Florida and worked various jobs after graduation until moving to Minneapolis at age 30. She began writing there while 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.
Her 2003 novel The Tale of Despereaux was inspired by a friend's son, Luke Bailey who asked her to write a story about an unlikely hero with "exceptionally large ears." Luke suffers from a genetically transferred inflamed ear syndrome. Kate DiCamillo sympathized with the boy and promised him a good deal of published rhetoric in attempt to make him feel better.
In 2005, Because of Winn-Dixie was released as a film by 20th Century Fox. The Tale of Despereaux was released in 2009 and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is currently in production.
Animals feature very prominently in DiCamillo’s books: Winn-Dixie, the stray dog; a caged tiger; Despereaux, the gallant mouse; Edward, the china rabbit and Mercy, the pet pig.
Questions to consider while reading
1. How does Abilene feel about Edward? The day the maid misplaces Edward, Abilene runs from room to room, calling for him. Discuss why Abilene loves him so much. What emotion does Edward feel in return and why? What kind of person is Abilene Tulane? The story leaves Abilene on the deck of the Queen Mary, shouting to Edward, "Come back," as he tumbles into the ocean. Discuss what you think happens to Abilene that day.
2. How and why do all adults (except Abilene's sharp-eyed grandmother, Pellegrina) condescend, or talk down, to Edward? What does it mean to have a condescending manner? Have you ever experienced an adult or a person older than you who condescended to you? How can you tell? Why do you think that person acted that way? How did you handle it?
3. Why does Pellegrina tell the story about a princess who loves no one and is turned into a warthog by a witch to Abilene and Edward? Why is Abilene indignant at the end of the story? What does Pellegrina mean when she says on page 34, "How can a story end happily if there is no love?" What is Edward's reaction to the story? Why does Pellegrina say to Edward, "You disappoint me"? What does she expect of him?
4. Talking of his wife, Nellie, Lawrence says, "She's had her sadness, but she's an all-right girl" (page 61). Why is Nellie sad? Why does she confide in Edward, and how do they help each other?
5. When the old woman hangs Edward on a pole to scare away the crows in her garden, Edward thinks, "I am done with caring." He feels mocked by the stars, which seem to say, "You are down there alone." On page 113, he tells the stars, "I have been loved," and they reply, "What difference does that make when you are all alone now?" Does it make a difference? Why does it matter to Edward that he has been loved? Is there a difference between the love Edward receives from Abilene at the beginning of the book and the love he receives from Sarah Ruth? How are his feelings toward Sarah Ruth different from anything he's experienced before?
6. What are some of the life lessons Edward learns on his journey, through good times and bad? What life lessons have you acquired in your life that you would like to pass on to someone else?
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