Louisiana's Way Home is a Moving Follow Up to Raymie Nightingale

Summary: Louisiana’s Way Home

In this companion to Raymie Nightingale, Louisiana Elefante’s grandmother wakes her up in the middle of the night because “the day of reckoning has arrived.” Although Louisiana has always gone with her granny’s flow, this time, she resists. She doesn’t want to leave her friends and her cat, Archie behind. Still, her grandmother is adamant. What follows is an often-funny, occasionally-heartbreaking, and all-round heartwarming tale.

Louisiana is overall a more interesting character than Raymie was. She’s bursting with personality and has an offbeat sense of humor. I also enjoyed the development of both Louisiana’s and her granny’s character and this sequel didn’t at all seem forced as some can be. As a welcome bonus, the narrator of this audiobook is excellent — her Southern accent is spot-on and makes Louisiana come to life. This is especially useful in the mid-sections of the book which seem to lull a bit.

Louisiana’s Way Home essentially chronicles all of the circumstances Louisiana encounters as she struggles to find her way back to her friends. Their journey is full of many hijinks, from Louisiana having to drive her grandmother’s car to their visit to the dentist, and Louisiana’s brief stint as a funeral singer. This middle-grade novel features strong themes of finding chosen family, friendship, homelessness, and the power of perseverance.

Overall: Louisiana’s Way Home

I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading Beverly, Right Here next. Kate DiCamillo may never be one of my favorites, but I’ve enjoyed stepping out of my comfort zone with The Three Rancheros. Louisiana’s Way Home is an enjoyable, moving middle-grade novel that highlights the value of resilience. This heartwarming novel is a worthy follow-up to Raymie Nightingale.

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