(previous interviews in this series can be found here.)

Welcome to another installment of 5 Questions with a 5-Year-Old. Today, Zoey chats with Kate DiCamillo, the recently named 2014-15 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by the Library of Congress, winner of the 2004 Newbery Medal for The Tale of Despereaux, winner of the 2014 Newbery Medal for Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures, and, oh yeah, author of a long list of amazing books.

Zoey knows her best from the The Tale of Despereaux (which she has listened to several times on audiobook) and the Mercy Watson and Bink & Gollie series of chapter books.

The Mercy Watson series includes six books starring a pig named…Mercy Watson. Mercy lives with Mr. and Mrs. Watson on Deckawoo Drive, repeatedly gets into trouble and has adventures, and always has time to enjoy toast with a great deal of butter. The books are illustrated by Chris Van Dusen and are utterly charming.

Bink and Gollie are two best friends–one tiny, one tall–who live in a treehouse. This series of three books are nearly perfect stories about the power and value of friendship and imagination. They are cowritten by Alison McGhee and illustrated by Tony Fucile.

In addition, DiCamillo has written Because of Winn-Dixie, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken.

Really, everything DiCamillo touches is literary gold for young readers. She’s truly in a league by herself.

Zoey had the opportunity to sit and chat with Ms. DiCamillo during her appearance at this year’s National Book Festival in Washington, DC.

As always, all questions are hers. I simply prompt her with “clue words” so she can remember. (Make sure you turn on subtitles if you can’t make out Zoey’s questions.)

Thank you very much to Kate DiCamillo for taking the time to chat with Zoey and to Tracy Miracle at Candlewick Press for helping to arrange the interview.