FLORA AND ULYSSES: THE ILLUMINATED ADVENTURES by Kate DiCamillo

Illustrated by K.G. Campbell

Animal Fantasy; Superheroes; Squirrels; Humor; Divorce
Newbery Winner 2014

"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 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. From #1 New York Times best-selling author Kate DiCamillo comes a laugh-out-loud story filled with eccentric, endearing characters and featuring an exciting new format -- a novel interspersed with comic-style graphic sequences and full-page illustrations, all rendered in black-and-white by up-and-coming artist K. G. Campbell." (From the publisher)

My Comments
A fun and incredibly creative book. I kept thinking, "How did DiCamillo ever come up with this story?" But it works! The reader sees the world from the perspective of the squirrel and Flora in a way that makes total sense.

That said, it's not for every reader. I would give it to kids who want to laugh and be surprised. There is a dark, almost Roald Dahl shadow to this story, however, in the relationship of Flora with her mother who has distanced herself from Flora. But there is resolution, love, and understanding at the end.