BOOK REVIEW: FLORA AND ULYSSES by Kate DiCamillo

FLORA AND ULYSSES
Kate DiCamillo
Candlewick Press
Ages 8 - 12

It begins, as the best superhero stories do, with a tragic accident that has unexpected consequences. The squirrel never saw the vacuum cleaner coming, but self-described cynic Flora Belle Buckman, who has read every issue of the comic book Terrible Things Can Happen to You!, is the just the right person to step in and save him. What neither can predict is that Ulysses (the squirrel) has been born anew, with powers of strength, flight, and misspelled poetry—and that Flora will be changed too, as she discovers the possibility of hope and the promise of a capacious heart.

Winner of the 2014 Newbery Medal
A 2013 Parents' Choice Award Winner for Fiction

MY REVIEW:

Flora and Ulysses is cute, clever, and quirky. I have to admit I was drawn into the tale of a ginormous vacuum sucking up an unsuspecting squirrel who then becomes a superhero - sort of.

While I don't really get why it won the Newbery, it is unusual, to say the least. I think many kids will enjoy Flora and the squirrel's antics, and will chuckle at DiCamillo's humor. This is a fun read, sure to put a smile on your face. Don't expect anything too deep here beyond Flora's discovery that her mother is really not a criminal mastermind after all. If you like light-hearted laughs and warm fuzzies, this book might be worth your time.