I love Kate DiCamillo and this book did not disappoint. A lot of people and a lot of children can relate to Raymie. Raymie wants to impress her absent father by entering a competition because she wants to please him and convince her father to come back to her and her mother. This book touches on life, death and human relationships. Making friends is hard and awkward and this book beautifully describes the complexity of human relationships. There are loud people, shy people, know it alls, weird people but somehow these different types of personalities can create unexpected bonds.