Leroy Ninker Saddles Up

Born in Philadelphia, raised in Florida, and now living in Minnesota, Kate DiCamillo is a beloved children’s book author. Many of her books have inhabited bestseller lists, and, as a result, she has become a household name. Her books have garnered a variety of awards, including the Newbery Medal in 2004 for The Tale of Despereaux and again in 2014 for Flora & Ulysses and the Newbery Honor for her 2001 novel Because of Winn-Dixie. Additionally, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane was awarded the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award in 2006 while many of DiCamillo’s other books have received recognition. A past National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, DiCamillo is a versatile writer who creates lovable and relatable characters. Her ability to connect with children stems from DiCamillo’s own experiences growing up. In an interview for The New Yorker, she states, “‘Whenever people ask me if my books are autobiographical, I always try to explain they’re emotionally true, that I’m drawing on things I’ve felt and experienced […] and that those emotions often tilt toward sadness and loneliness and frustration and grief’” (Cep, Casey. “What Kate DiCamillo Understands About Children.“ The New Yorker, 11 Sept. 2023). In Leroy Ninker Saddles Up, DiCamillo taps into these feelings when Leroy and Maybelline’s separation makes them both feel sad and lonely. Maybelline longs for Leroy’s kind words, while he believes he lost the best horse in the world. By emphasizing the need for companionship between Leroy and Maybelline, DiCamillo helps “‘children feel seen and to know they’re not alone in whatever they’re going through’” (Cep).

A resident of Maine, Chris Van Dusen is an accomplished author and illustrator of children’s books, including his own Circus Ship and King Hugo’s Huge Ego. As an illustrator for both the Mercy Watson and Tales From Deckawoo Drive series, Van Dusen has come to know and love the characters of this neighborhood through his detailed and light-hearted depictions of them. On the book jacket, he quips, “Leroy Ninker, with his quirky personality, is a hoot to draw.” Van Dusen’s renderings of the title character capture so many of Leroy’s traits from his cowboy dreams watching Westerns (3) to his sheer determination to find Maybelline when she is missing (75) to his love for the horse when they reunite (77). Through his illustrations, Van Dusen captures the depth of DiCamillo’s characters.