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Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures is a children's novel by American author Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by K. G. Campbell, published in 2013 by Candlewick Press. It is the story of Flora Belle Buckman and a superhero squirrel named Ulysses. The illustrations include full-page, small pencil drawings and comic-book panels describing Flora and the Ulysses’ adventures. Flora & Ulysses was the Winner of the 2014 Newbery Medal.

Characters

 * Flora Belle Buckman: A self-proclaimed cynic and reader of the comic book “The Illuminated Adventures of the Amazing Incandesto” and has memorized the advice in the series "TERRIBLE THINGS CAN HAPPEN TO YOU" and lives by the mantra, “Do not hope; instead, observe.”


 * Ulysses: A squirrel who seems to develop superpowers after his brush with a deathly vacuum (Of which he was name after). He has the ability to fly, life heavy objects, understand human speech and type poetry. He is also insatiably hungry.
 * Mrs. Tootie Tickman: Flora’s neighbor. She runs over Ulysses with the vacuum in her yard and later introduced Ulysses to poetry.
 * George Buckman: Flora’s father, a small and sad man who hasn’t smiled since his divorce.
 * Phyllis Buckman: Flora’s mother, a romance novelist whose most prized possession is a lamp, named Mary Ann.
 * William Spiver: Mrs. Tickham’s  great-nephew, short, blonde and hidden behind enormous dark glasses, who has been banished from his own family after rolling his step-father’s truck into a lake, after his step-father kept calling him Billy. He claims to have been struck blind by this calamity.
 * Dr. Meescham: George’s neighbor and a doctor of philosophy. She tells stories about her childhood in a town, Blundermeecen, where people were occasionally eaten by trolls.
 * Mr. Klaus: An angry orange cat belonging to the manager of George’s apartment building, who is also named Mr. Klaus. He was notorious for hiding in the hallways and then pouncing on the person’s ankles, biting, scratching and growling.

Plot
Flora, a self-proclaimed cynic, spends her days reading “The illuminated Adventures of the amazing Incandesto.” and “Terrible Things Can Happen to You!” as she struggles to understand and accept her parent’s divorce. She was jolted into action when her neighbor, Mrs. Tickman, runs over a squirrel while vacuuming the yard. The squirrel’s brush with death causes him to develop superpowers. Flora befriends the squirrel naming him Ulysses after the vacuum.

Flora explains to Ulysses that he must use his new found powers to right wrongs, fight injustice, “or something”. Ulysses begins to express herself through poetry. Flora’s neighbor, Tootie, further introduces Ulysses to poetry and his mind is awoken to the profound nature of words. There, Flora and Ulysses met William Spiver, a new friend for Flora. He tell s her that he is temporarily blind due to tragedy.

Flora’s mother, Phyllis fears that Flora talking to a squirrel is a sign that something is wrong with her daughter and conspires to kill Ulysses for he Flora’s own good. Meanwhile, Flora and Ulysses head out for a day with Flora’s father, George. They find themselves on an adventure involving giant doughnuts, a cat attack, a boy struck blind by tragedy and a doctor of philosophy who tells stories about uncertainty and hope.

Flora, George, and Ulysses adventures lead them to the GIANT DO-NUT. There at the diner, Ulysses discovers he can fly. George lets Flora know that he won’t hurt Ulysses, despite Phyllis’ request to ‘take care of him”. When Flora confronts her mother about her desire to kill Ulysses a shouting match erupts in which Flora comes to believe her mother doesn’t love her. Ulysses understands otherwise and writes a poem to explain Flora and her mother’s real emotions but Flora’s mother kidnaps him before the poem can be read. When Phyllis tries to exterminate Ulysses, He finagles the shovel out her hands, flies away and takes stand on the GIANT DO-NUT in search for Flora. He spots Dr. Meescham window and flies in. Meanwhile, Flora puts together a crack team to rescue Ulysses, including Tootie and William Spiver. Flora grabs Mary-Ann as a bargaining chip in exchange for Ulysses. Flora. The arrive at George’s apartment where Dr. Meescham and Ulysses meets them at the door. Soon after, Phyllis arrives at George’s apartment after arriving home and realizing Flora was gone. When Phyllis’ arrives to the apartment, she is attacked by Mr. Klaus. Ulysses immediately jumps into action to save Phyllis. Flora, George, and Phyllis are able to find peace after this debacle over Ulysses. Her cynical exterior was cracker for good after learning her parents love her deeply. Flora was able to find peace, happiness, and love in her parents and a new friend in William Spiver and Ulysses. For Ulysses, he was able to continue writing poetry.

Critical Reception
The New York Times says, Flora and Ulysses gives you that whiplash feeling of watching TV with someone who changes the channel every two seconds. The chapters are short and choppy and the antics so off-the-wall, parents looking for a peaceful bedtime story to read aloud may be surprised by how riled up young listeners get. In Flora, they will find a girl worth knowing, and one they will remember. She is welcome in my minivan anytime. The School Library Journal states it’s a touching piece of magical realism that unfolds with increasing urgency over a mere few days and brings its somewhat caricatured, old-fashioned characters together into what becomes a supportive community for all. Campbell's rounded and gentle soft-penciled illustrations, at times in the form of panel art furthering the action, wonderfully match and add to the sweetness of this oddball story.

Awards

 * 2014 Newbery Medal Winner