Franklin Endicott and the Third Key (Tales from Deckawoo Drive Series #6)

by Kate DiCamillo, Chris Van Dusen (Illustrator)

Overview

The latest tale from Deckawoo Drive—and New York Times best-selling creators Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen—is a balm for young worrywarts facing the unknown.

Welcome back to Deckawoo Drive for a sixth endearing installment in the companion series to Kate DiCamillo’s New York Times best-selling Mercy Watson books. Frank Endicott is a worrier. He worries about lions, submarines, black holes, leprosy, and armadillos. He lists his worries alphabetically in a notebook and suffers vivid nightmares that even a certain neighborhood pig can’t dispatch. When he accompanies Eugenia Lincoln on an errand to duplicate a key at her favorite dark and dusty thrift shop, Frank earns fresh cause for alarm. Odd Buddy Lamp, the shop’s proprietor, has sent them home with the original key and its copy. Can Frank come to terms with the mystery without buckling under his mounting dread? With a little help from friends (old and new), hot cocoa, and some classic short stories read aloud, the prognosis is good.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536226041
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	06/14/2022
Series:	Tales from Mercy Watson's Deckawoo Drive , #6
Pages:	112
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Kate DiCamillo is the beloved author of many books for young readers, including the Mercy Watson and Deckawoo Drive series. Her books Flora & Ulysses and The Tale of Despereaux both received Newbery Medals. A former National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, she lives in Minneapolis.

Chris Van Dusen is the author-illustrator of many books for young readers, including The Circus Ship and Hattie & Hudson, and the illustrator of the Mercy Watson and Deckawoo Drive series. He lives in Maine.

Hometown:

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Date of Birth:

March 25, 1964

Place of Birth:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Education:

B.A. in English, University of Florida at Gainesville, 1987

Editorial Reviews

The latest book from “Tales from Deckawoo Drive” might be DiCamillo’s most charming offering yet in the series. . . . The tale is as uplifting as it is literary, and the author tells a genuine story that may inspire readers to be like Franklin, a child open to receiving his very own mysterious, ­life-changing key. . . . DiCamillo pens a glorious love letter to childhood uncertainty and the powerful and transformative world of reading.
—School Library Journal (starred review)

From the Publisher

★ 06/01/2021

Gr 1–4—The latest book from "Tales from Deckawoo Drive" might be DiCamillo's most charming offering yet in the series. The tale focuses on Franklin, a young biracial boy and the older brother of the unflappable Stella, also neighbor to sisters Eugenia and Baby Lincoln. Unfortunately, this serious boy is struggling with his overwhelming worries (among them, lions, leprosy, submarines, and black holes), which he fastidiously catalogues in a notebook. Franklin's itemizing of fears eventually evolves into nightmares that keep him awake. He finds himself turning to hot milk for relief and visits Eugenia, who is suffering from insomnia. The unlikely pair have a seemingly mundane but divinely inspired adventure that breaks the routine of Franklin's anxiety and opens a door previously unknown to him. Van Dusen's familiar illustrations bring the Mercy Watson universe to life in shiny-cheeked caricatures, honoring the small-town vibe of the series. The book is rife with challenging vocabulary, such as cavalier, efficacy, procure, and eclecticism. The tale is as uplifting as it is literary, and the author tells a genuine story that may inspire readers to be like Franklin, a child open to receiving his very own mysterious, life-changing key. VERDICT A must-have for libraries looking for engaging early chapter books, and a compelling read-aloud. DiCamillo pens a glorious love letter to childhood uncertainty and the powerful and transformative world of reading.—Rachel Joiner, Advent Episcopal Sch., Bessemer, AL

School Library Journal

The sixth audiobook in the Tales from Deckawoo Drive, narrated by William Jackson Harper, features young Franklin Endicott. Frank has an ever-growing list of worries. Then an errand with a neighbor results in Frank ending up with a key he doesn’t recognize. “Whose key is it?” Frank worries. He must face his fears to solve the mystery. Opening music places listeners in the idyllic setting of Deckawoo Drive. Harper aptly voices the unique personalities of a variety of characters. Most notably, his performance captures Frank’s careful, contemplative disposition. His narrative style is both unhurried and expressive, making for an easy listen, especially as a read-along for younger listeners who have the printed book. A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

JULY 2021 - AudioFile

The sixth audiobook in the Tales from Deckawoo Drive, narrated by William Jackson Harper, features young Franklin Endicott. Frank has an ever-growing list of worries. Then an errand with a neighbor results in Frank ending up with a key he doesn’t recognize. “Whose key is it?” Frank worries. He must face his fears to solve the mystery. Opening music places listeners in the idyllic setting of Deckawoo Drive. Harper aptly voices the unique personalities of a variety of characters. Most notably, his performance captures Frank’s careful, contemplative disposition. His narrative style is both unhurried and expressive, making for an easy listen, especially as a read-along for younger listeners who have the printed book. A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

JULY 2021 - AudioFile