Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures

I'm a “sortof” fan of DiCamillo. I loved Desperaux, wasn't crazy about Winn Dixie. So what drew me to this title? It was not the millions of great recommendations or even the writer's reputation. I wanted to read this because Flora sounded a lot like someone I know very, very well. So, with pretty high expectations, I began Flora and Ulysses.

Right from the first page, and an introduction to a mixed race couple, I was hooked. I really enjoyed this crazy story of a girl and her squirrel. Unique characters, cozy settings, and magical realism abound. This is a book for kids that would also make an excellent Wes Anderson movie. Just saying.

Now, something I have always appreciated about DiCamillo is that she NEVER talks (writes?) down to children. Oh, no. There are some words here that the average kid is going to have to grab a dictionary to figure out. There are also some high ideas that may need explaining. As an adult, I think I had an easier time and could just sit back and enjoy the story.

And I did. And it was almost perfect. Almost.