THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE by Kate DiCamillo 

DiCamillo’s selfish and vain rabbit made (mostly) of china is thrown overboard into the ocean where he finds everything he didn’t know he was missing and misses everything he finds.

“Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a rabbit who was made almost entirely of china.” 

So much information! We know where we are and who we’re going to follow. We also have a sense of DiCamillo’s light touch of humor with the hedging words “almost entirely.” More description of Edward follows this line—almost two full pages—which is necessary because Edward is a unique protagonist. 

DiCamillo, a master of many things, keeps the description from dragging, first with interesting details about Edward himself, and second by establishing tone, humor, and characterization, as in: 

“In all, Edward Tulane felt himself to be an exceptional specimen.”

The secret here is that it is not a long passage of description, there is so much more underneath the surface. This layered opening effectively introduces the reader to the world, this story, Edward, and the experience they’re in for if they continue to read. And how could you not? 

“Once, oh marvelous once, there was a rabbit who found his way home.”

This comes at the end of the “Coda” to this tale. The Coda section, which summarizes the novel, reinforces the fairytale element set up in the first line. This last line brings back that feel as well, with the opening word “Once.” But then it throws in a hat tip to the tone of the novel with “oh marvelous once.”

“Too late, thought Edward as Bryce pulled the nails out of his ears. I am only a doll made of china.”

If this line was out there somewhere separate from the book, it would definitely catch my attention. The contradictions here (thoughts/nails, nails/doll, china) play with Edward’s hopes and wishes to offer extremely effective dramatic irony.

This is also a great illustration of Edward’s limitations and how they help shape the story. Edward can’t speak or move on his own because, well, he’s a doll made (mostly) of china. And yet he works as a main character partially because of those limitations. 

Edward is a china rabbit, yes, but he is an extremely authentic china rabbit in this real-world setting. His thoughts are what make him relatable to us, and, for kids especially, the idea that inanimate objects can think and feel can be very authentic. 

Note: This is the first in a three-part series of guest posts so please come back next week for more! Sign up so you don't miss out.

Amanda Elend recently received her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She has worked as a freelance writer, editor, and researcher for over fourteen years. You can find her writing portfolio at amandaelend.com and more reviews like this on her blog.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.