This week’s book review features a dynamic duo of children’s literature: Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo. Ten-year-old Flora admits she’s a natural born cynic. She’s also an unrepentant comic book enthusiast who can hardly believe her eyes when she sees her neighbor accidentally vacuum up a squirrel in her new vacuum cleaner! The squirrel, soon-to-be-named Ulysses, that emerges from the vacuum will never be the same. Not only is he able to type and write poetry, he has superhero capabilities, including super strength and an ability to fly. A friendship is born, and adventure follows as Flora as she adapts to her parents’ divorce and gets to know William Spivey—an eccentric, eleven-year-old great-nephew of a neighbor. The illustrations, which are a clear nod to Flora’s beloved comics, add depth to the story, though the audiobook brings delightful heroic musical cues into the mix and has its own sense of flair. Contact the library to request or place a hold at www.infosoup.org. Digital versions of the book and audiobook are available in the Wisconsin Digital Library.
