Parents' Guide to

Beverly, Right Here

By Mary Eisenhart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Compelling tale of runaway teen and her quirky new friends.

Book Kate DiCamillo Friendship 2019
Beverly, Right Here Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

Chris L.
Chris L. Adult
April 4, 2020
age 10+

When we are ready, others can find us

A major work from a major author, this book follows storylines and characters found in 'Raymie Nightengale.' It is classic DiCamillo, featuring the coming together of unlikely characters and addressing the idea of family being something vital to a healthy human existence, though not something limited to our blood lines and last names. DiCamillo poses some big questions in the simplest of ways and allows characters and readers to pull the most desirable and obvious answer: be kind and patient with each other. Beverly Trapinski has buried her beloved dog. One of her three friends has suddenly moved away without a goodbye. Her father is long gone and her mother does not seem interested in what Beverly does. It is August, 1979 and it seems that the only thing for Beverly to do is leave town. At age 14, she finds herself in a new town with a job clearing tables, but she knows this is not enough. If she can only open her heart a little, she will find that the small town is full of people who need a little more in their lives too.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
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What's the Story?

As BEVERLY, RIGHT HERE opens, it's 1979, 14-year-old Beverly Tapinski and her best friend, Raymie, have just buried Beverly's beloved dog Buddy. Beverly's hard-drinking mom is at it again, and Beverly, feeling the void of Buddy's absence, decides there's nothing to hold her at home anymore. Minutes later she's browbeaten her older cousin into dropping her off in the next town, Tamaray Beach, Florida. She soon gets a job busing tables at a fish restaurant and is taken in by a strange old lady in a trailer park -- who wants underage Beverly to drive her to bingo at the VFW. Several of the things that could possibly go wrong do. But along the way, friendships form, romance blooms, bullies get their comeuppance, and worlds open.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (3 ):

This moving story about a runaway teen and a quirky cast of her newfound friends is a fitting conclusion to Kate DiCamillo's trilogy about best friends in 1970s Florida. Beverly, Right Here shows how Beverly Tapinski, now 14, has always had to look out for herself, leaves home when her dog dies, and builds a new life a seaside town. She soon lands a job, finds a place to live, and gains some kind friends who look out for her and one another. But everyone's got troubles -- a broken family, abuse by a bully, a sad sense of loss as loved ones die. Whether driving an old lady named lola to bingo in an ancient car, messing with the local bully, or reminiscing about how she used to steal from her drunk mom's sleazy boyfriends, Beverly's a force to be reckoned with -- tough, vulnerable, with a strong sense of right and wrong.

"Beverly could think of all kinds of reasons not to trust.

"People leave -- that was one of the reasons.

"People pretended to care, but they don't, really -- that was another one.

"Dogs die, and your friends help you to put them in the ground.

"That was a big one, right there.

"'You can stay with me,' said Iola. She reached over and patted Beverly's arm. 'We will help each other out. We'll trust each other.'"

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how things have changed in daily life since 1979, and how Beverly, Right Here might be different if it took place today. Would it change the plot if everyone had cell phones and internet?

  • Do you know any kids who are dealing with parents who are abusive or have drug or drinking problems? How do they cope? What kind of support can their friends provide?

  • "Equity" turns out to be an important concept to several characters, who all have their own ideas about what it means in real life. What do you think?

Book Details

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