In Kate DiCamillo’s new book, Ferris, 10-year-old Ferris Wilkey is having a busy summer. Her aunt and uncle have broken up, her little sister is trying to get in trouble, and her grandmother says she sees a ghost. It’s a sweet story of an offbeat but loving family. It also happens to be hilarious.

If anyone knows how to write a great story, it’s DiCamillo. Her first book, Because of Winn-Dixie, won several awards and was later made into a movie. Since then, she’s written many other books, including Flora & Ulysses and The Tale of Despereaux. In most of them, the main character is under 13 years old. It may be hard to imagine how an adult can write about a kid’s thoughts and feelings. But DiCamillo says she remembers very well what it was like to be a child.

“I am, basically, an 8-year-old,” DiCamillo told the New York Times. That could be why so many kids feel like they can relate to DiCamillo’s books. The proof of this is in the hundreds of fan letters she receives every week, and in the crowds of people who come to see her when she goes on tour to promote her books. 

“I’m deeply moved by it… I’m astonished by it,” she told the Associated Press. 

DiCamillo has loved a good story since she was a kid. Now, her own stories are inspiring new generations of young readers. 

“Stories help us see each other and help us see ourselves,” DiCamillo told Bookpage.com.