Friday, March 14, 2014

Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo

I already think Kate DiCamillo is a literary rock star. Love love love her writing and now that she is the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, she just rose up even higher in my book. 

And now she pops out Flora and Ulysses. I will admit it: I picked it up in the library a time or two, not sure if I was ready to read it. Come on: the squirrel is spotted. Flora looks bookly. What might be illuminating about that? Then the book showed up in my holds collection and landed on the pile of 30-40 books beside my bed. (Please don't tell my partner how many books are over there--thank goodness she doesn't come over here and count or even return some of them.) So I had to dig into it....and then...

Shazam! Loved that spotted squirrel--who is actually not spotted but had a dramatically unfortunate experience with a possessed vacuum cleaner. And Flora: well, I totally love what Flora is trying to do. Fight the world of hate crimes, teach her parents well, and keep her new best friend near by. 

Loved it. Come on: how did I even imagine any other outcome? From the wickedly creative mind who created Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux comes another remarkable tale. 

Guess what I might read aloud in the early part of my reentry to the classroom next fall? Yep. You guessed it. I think it might be time, depending on my new group, to figure out what the squirrel might say or do next together.  Wanna come listen in?

No comments:

Post a Comment