Beverly, Right Here

Kate DiCamillo is the author of the coming-of-age novel for young readers, Beverly, Right Here (2019). DiCamillo is a well-known, award-winning author of a bevy of books for children—including Because of Winn-Dixie (2000) and The Tale of Despereaux (2003)—and Beverly, Right Here is the third book in the Three Rancheros series. The first book is Raymie Nightingale (2016), and the second book is Louisiana’s Way Home (2018). Raymie, Louisiana, and Beverly are friends from Florida, and their books reference one another. Yet the reader doesn’t have to know the first two books to appreciate Beverly’s story, which addresses themes, such as Presence Versus Absence, Facing the Cruel but Kind World, and The Need for Connection.

The guide’s page numbers refer to the 2019 Candlewick Press edition.

Content Warning: Beverly, Right Here features violent bullying, child abuse, and a moment of nonconsensual touching.

Plot Summary

Beverly Tapinski is 14 years old during August 1979. She lives in Florida, and after she and her best friend, Raymie, bury her beloved dog, Buddy, Beverly experiences an intolerable empty feeling and flees her hometown. Beverly has run away before, but this time she’s not running away: She’s leaving.