*Tales from Deckawoo Drive Series by Kate DiCamillo

Deckawoo Drive: Home of Mercy Watson and her Neighbors

Even though my children are all teenagers now, and long past the chapter book stage, we still enjoy seeing what the folks on Deckawoo Drive are up to. Mercy Watson lives on Deckawoo Drive with some very entertaining neighbors, and one of Kate DiCamillo’s strongest authorial gifts is creating memorable, distinctive characters.

The Tales From Deckawoo Drive series is perfect for readers moving into children’s novels, but who benefit from scattered illustrations, plenty of white space on the page, and engaging plots. These books are childlike enough for advanced young readers (and for young listeners), but they also hold up to mid-late elementary-aged readers. Highly recommended!

Leroy Ninker Saddles Up

(Candlewick, 2015)

I’ve reviewed Leroy Ninker Saddles Up before; it was a strong start to this chapter book series spin-off from the Mercy Watson books. Leroy Ninker is all boy: noisy, rowdy, and astride his trusty steed, Maybelline. Maybelline isn’t Leroy’s personal possession at the beginning of the book, however. That’s part of the journey the reader gets to make! Highly recommended, for both boys and girls.

Francine Poulet Meets the Ghost Raccoon

(Candlewick, 2016)

If pressed, I might have to say that this is my favorite Deckawoo Drive book. Few authors can create adult characters that children will enjoy reading about; DiCamillo delivers. Animal Control Officer Francine Poulet (she’s always referred to with her full title) is the “genuine article” and has tremendous adventures in her animal control work (note the rooftop escapade on the front cover!).

Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln?

(Candlewick, 2017)

The dynamics between Baby Lincoln and her sister Eugenia form a significant sub-plot in the Mercy Watson books. In this third Deckawoo Drive book, Baby Lincoln gets her own adventure in her own book. Impulsively, Baby Lincoln heads out on her Necessary Trip (as she tells domineering Eugenia) and along the way has an adventure. The sisters might have gray hair, but all young sisters will resonate with the family dynamics at play.

Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package

(Candlewick, 2018)

After Baby Lincoln has her own book and adventure, naturally Eugenia needs her own book. Eugenia is nothing if not practical. And accordions are most definitely not practical. But perhaps there’s more to Eugenia than even Eugenia knows. Perhaps music isn’t as frivolous as she thinks it is. DiCamillo is a genius to make Eugenia’s new love of music come from an accordion!

Stella Endicott and the Anything-Is-Possible-Poem

(Candlewick, 2021)

Book 5 of the Deckawoo Drive books switches to another sister: Stella Endicott, Mercy Watson’s young neighbor down the street. Stella is Mercy’s biggest fan, so when her teacher assigns her class a poetry project, Stella writes about Mercy. Unfortunately, Stella’s classmate Horace vehemently disagrees with everything Stella wrote. Stella defends her poem, Horace yells back, and somehow the two of them find themselves locked in a janitor’s closet. Alone. In the dark. In true DiCamillo fashion, she makes readers feel sympathy for the “villain” even as they root for Stella. Everyone comes to a greater understanding of one another—and of pigs—in this charming volume.

Franklin Endicott and the Third Key

(Candlewick, 2021)

Stella’s brother, Franklin, finds a mysterious key. Most children would delight in this new adventure, but not Franklin. Franklin is a worrier. About everything. And strangely, it’s stern, practical Eugenia Lincoln who ends up helping Franklin appreciate the magic of story and adventure in the face of life’s more sobering concerns. I reviewed Franklin Endicott and the Third Key in more detail here, but this last volume will find many sympathetic young readers who commiserate with Franklin.

*Tales From Deckawoo Drive as a Whole

Taken as a whole, this series is a standout for newly independent readers. Deceptively simple plots reveal unique, strong characters that all young readers will find relatable, regardless of the age or gender of the protagonist. DiCamillo dials into essential human nature as well as our collective need for community, for true friends who understand us and care for us. DiCamillo respects her young readers and offers them stories with real issues (worry, independence, measuring-up for teachers, and more) and satisfying conclusions.

Taken individually, each book is a delight. Readers will no doubt have a favorite or prefer some to others. But the series has a whole is worth a starred review from me!

Are you a Mercy Watson or Deckawoo Drive fan? Do you have a favorite book or a favorite character in the series?