{"product_id":"flora-and-ulysses-isbn-9780763660406","title":"Flora and Ulysses","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner of the 2014 Newbery Medal \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestseller!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHoly unanticipated occurrences! A cynic meets an unlikely superhero in a genre-breaking novel by master storyteller Kate DiCamillo.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt 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 \u003ci\u003eTerrible Things Can Happen to You!,\u003c\/i\u003e is the 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\u003ci\u003e New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e best-selling author Kate DiCamillo comes a laugh-out-loud story filled with eccentric, endearing characters and featuring an exciting format — a novel interspersed with comic-style graphic sequences and full-page illustrations, all rendered in black-and-white by artist K. G. Campbell.In \"Flora and Ulysses,\" longtime fans will find a happy marriage of Mercy Watson's warmth and wackiness and Edward Tulane's gentle life lessons. In Flora, they will find a girl worth knowing, and one they will remember.\u003cbr\u003e—The New York Times Book Review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNewbery-winner DiCamillo is a master storyteller not just because she creates characters who dance off the pages and plots, whether epic or small, that never fail to engage and delight readers. Her biggest strength is exposing the truths that open and heal the human heart. She believes in possibilities and forgiveness and teaches her audience that the salt of life can be cut with the right measure of love.\u003cbr\u003e—Booklist (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOriginal, touching and oh-so-funny tale starring an endearingly implausible superhero and a not-so-cynical girl.\u003cbr\u003e—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDespite supremely quirky characters and dialogue worthy of an SAT prep class, there’s real emotion at the heart of this story involving two kids who have been failed by the most important people in their lives: their parents.\u003cbr\u003e—Publishers Weekly (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRife with marvelously rich vocabulary reminiscent of the early superhero era (e.g., “Holy unanticipated occurrences!”) and amusing glimpses at the world from the point of view of Ulysses the supersquirrel, this book will appeal to a broad audience of sophisticated readers. There are plenty of action sequences, but the novel primarily dwells in the realm of sensitive, hopeful, and quietly philosophical literature.\u003cbr\u003e—School Library Journal (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMasterfully mixed with adventure, mystery, and laughs, this title could be used as an entertaining class read-aloud.\u003cbr\u003e—Library Media Connection\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBeneath the basic superhero-squirrel-friend plot, DiCamillo imbues this novel with emotion by focusing on larger life issues such as loss and abandonment, acceptance of difference, loneliness, love, overcoming fears, and the complexity of relationships. She also adds plenty of warmth and humor throughout... This little girl and squirrel and their heartwarming tale could melt even the most hardened archnemesis’s heart.\u003cbr\u003e—The Horn Book\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEccentric characters, snappy prose and the fantastical plot give this delightful novel a giddy, over-the-top patina, but the core is big and hopeful, contemplative and bursting with heart. No small feat, even for a superhero like DiCamillo.\u003cbr\u003e—Shelf Awareness\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHelped in no small part by K.C. Campbell’s perfectly placed illustrations, Flora and Ulysses does precisely what I always want in a book. It lures you in with the ridiculous and then when you least expect it gets you in the gut with a bolt of pure, uncut, unadulterated meaning. Rare fare. ... Exceptional.\u003cbr\u003e—A Fuse #8 Production (SLJ blog)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFull of Ms. DiCamillo's dry, literate wit and bursting every so often into action-packed comic-strip sequences illustrated by K.G. Campbell... [a] funny, eccentric novel.\u003cbr\u003e—The Wall Street Journal\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe incomparable Kate DiCamillo, creator of “The Miraculous Adventures of Edward Tulane” and “The Tale of Despereaux,” has outdone herself in this extraordinary tale of love, connection, healing and finding your way home, themes that run through all of her work. ... DiCamillo is laugh-out-loud hilarious... while delivering lovely asides and beautiful insights about the human condition and the importance of being open to the mystery of the everyday.\u003cbr\u003e—The Buffalo News\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[L]augh-out-loud funny, tender, difficult and hopeful all at once. ... Cynics beware, this book is meant for those open to joy, wonder, loyalty and friendship of all stripes.\u003cbr\u003e—The Huffington Post\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKate DiCamillo is a fine storyteller who respects her readers with rich and sophisticated language that touches the mind and tongue like delicate spice. ... Shaded pencil sketches propel the action and provide additional clues to characters and setting into a story of humor and joy tinged with sadness and unconditional love.\u003cbr\u003e—The Deseret News\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBeautifully written... The accompanying illustrations and cartoons are enchanting, and the remarkable DiCamillo demonstrates she has storytelling power to spare.\u003cbr\u003e—The Chicago Tribune\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith her signature wit and wisdom, DiCamillo captures readers' hearts in this slightly outrageous and thoroughly enjoyable tale.\u003cbr\u003e—Charleston Gazette\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[A]n offbeat concoction... [T]he writing is sharp, with a lexicon of SAT-level words and a core belief in possibilities - hope, love and happiness.\u003cbr\u003e—San Francisco Chronicle\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKate DiCamillo's newest book ... is that rarest of all treasures, a truly inventive and appealing children's middle-grade novel.\u003cbr\u003e—The Boston Globe\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[A] fast-paced, funny tale. ... Like all of DiCamillo's books, Flora \u0026amp; Ulysses is filled with adventure, but also plenty of humor and soul. ... DiCamillo has seamlessly blended comic-book elements and a zany cast of characters into a thoroughly original, heartwarming tale.\u003cbr\u003e—BookPage\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is a fun and clever tale of an unlikely hero uniting an even more unlikely cast of characters. Kate DiCamillo strikes again. Each character is well-drawn, the story is packed with fun references and asides. It's a perfect blend of poignancy and magic.\u003cbr\u003e—Fall 2013 Parents' Choice Book Awards\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDiCamillo does here what she does best, which is tell a deceptively simple story that elucidates big truths. ... And though the ideas are sophisticated, the storytelling is engaging enough to lure in a reader who might be put off by a doorstop of a novel. This slim volume also features illustrations by K.G. Campbell... [which] jell seamlessly with DiCamillo's prose.\u003cbr\u003e—Austin American Statesman\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThough their adventures are wild and wacky, the heart of the story is about a girl adrift and how she finds her way home. Pencil illustrations and comic book panels by K.G. Campbell complement Kate DiCamillo's text perfectly. After reading \u003ci\u003eFlora and Ulysses,\u003c\/i\u003e you'll be asking when the next installment is due.\u003cbr\u003e—NPR Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMuch like its furry hero, this swiftly paced tale is full of bold leaps and surprising turns. ... K.G. Campbell’s occasional drawings supplement the narrative and brilliantly interpret the characters, from the partially bald Ulysses to chain-smoking Mom. As with her previous big-hearted novels, DiCamillo proves once again that “astonishments are hidden inside the most mundane being,” and gives us another fantastic story.\u003cbr\u003e—The Washington Post\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBeautifully written... The accompanying illustrations and cartoons are enchanting, and the remarkable DiCamillo demonstrates she has storytelling power to spare.\u003cbr\u003e—The Chicago Tribune (syndicated from Tribune Newspapers)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBrilliantly written and graphically engaging, it’s filled with adventure, poetry, and compassion. Worth reading, and equally appealing for kids and adults.\u003cbr\u003e—The Boston Globe, Best of 2013\u003cb\u003eKate DiCamillo\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of many beloved books for young readers, including \u003ci\u003eThe Tale of Despereaux, \u003c\/i\u003ewhich received a Newbery Medal; \u003ci\u003eBecause of Winn-Dixie, \u003c\/i\u003ewhich received a Newbery Honor; \u003ci\u003eThe Tiger Rising, \u003c\/i\u003ea National Book Award Finalist; \u003ci\u003eThe Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, \u003c\/i\u003ewinner of a \u003ci\u003eBoston Globe-Horn Book\u003c\/i\u003e Award; \u003ci\u003eThe Magician’s Elephant; \u003c\/i\u003eand the best-selling \u003ci\u003eMercy Watson \u003c\/i\u003eseries. Kate DiCamillo lives in Minneapolis.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eK. G. Campbell\u003c\/b\u003e is the author-illustrator of \u003ci\u003eLester’s Dreadful Sweaters\u003c\/i\u003e. He was born in Kenya, raised in Scotland, and now lives in southern California.\u003cb\u003eCHAPTER ONE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e A Natural-Born Cynic\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Flora Belle Buckman was in her room at her desk. She was very busy. She was doing two things at once. She was ignoring her mother, and she was also reading a comic book entitled \u003ci\u003eThe Illuminated Adventures of the Amazing Incandesto!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   “Flora,” her mother shouted, “what are you doing up there?”\u003cbr\u003e   “I’m reading!” Flora shouted back.\u003cbr\u003e   “Remember the contract!” her mother shouted. “Do not forget the contract!”\u003cbr\u003e   At the beginning of summer, in a moment of weakness, Flora had made the mistake of signing a contract that said she would “work to turn her face away from the idiotic high jinks of comics and toward the bright light of true literature.”\u003cbr\u003e   Those were the exact words of the contract. They were her mother’s words.\u003cbr\u003e   Flora’s mother was a writer. She was divorced, and she wrote romance novels.\u003cbr\u003e   Talk about idiotic high jinks.\u003cbr\u003e   Flora hated romance novels.\u003cbr\u003e   In fact, she hated romance.\u003cbr\u003e   “I hate romance,” said Flora out loud to herself. She liked the way the words sounded. She imagined them floating above her in a comic-strip bubble; it was a comforting thing to have words \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eI hate romance.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e hanging over her head. Especially negative words about romance.\u003cbr\u003e   Flora’s mother had often accused Flora of being a “natural-born cynic.”\u003cbr\u003e   Flora suspected that this was true.\u003cbr\u003eSHE WAS A NATURAL-BORN CYNIC WHO \u003cbr\u003e LIVED IN DEFIANCE OF CONTRACTS!\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e  Yep,\u003c\/i\u003e thought Flora, \u003ci\u003ethat’s me. \u003c\/i\u003eShe bent her head and went back to reading about the amazing Incandesto.\u003cbr\u003e   She was interrupted a few minutes later by a very loud noise.\u003cbr\u003e   It sounded as if a jet plane had landed in the Tickhams’ backyard.\u003cbr\u003e   “What the heck?” said Flora. She got up from her desk and looked out the window and saw Mrs. Tickham running around the backyard with a shiny, oversize vacuum cleaner.\u003cbr\u003e   It looked like she was vacuuming the yard.\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e  That can’t be,\u003c\/i\u003e thought Flora. \u003ci\u003eWho vacuums their yard?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   Actually, it didn’t look like Mrs. Tickham knew \u003ci\u003ewhat \u003c\/i\u003eshe was doing.\u003cbr\u003e   It was more like the vacuum cleaner was in charge. And the vacuum cleaner seemed to be out of its mind. Or its engine. Or something.\u003cbr\u003e   “A few bolts shy of a load,” said Flora out loud.\u003cbr\u003e   And then she saw that Mrs. Tickham and the vacuum cleaner were headed directly for a squirrel.\u003cbr\u003e   “Hey, now,” said Flora.\u003cbr\u003e   She banged on the window.\u003cbr\u003e   “Watch out!” she shouted. “You’re going to vacuum up that squirrel!”\u003cbr\u003e   She said the words, and then she had a strange moment of seeing them, hanging there over her head.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e“You’re going to vacuum up \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e that squirrel!”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e  There is just no predicting what kind of sentences you might say,\u003c\/i\u003e thought Flora. \u003ci\u003eFor instance, who would ever think you would shout, “You’re going to vacuum up that squirrel!”?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   It didn’t make any difference, though, what words she said. Flora was too far away. The vacuum cleaner was too loud. And also, clearly, it was bent on destruction.\u003cbr\u003e   “This malfeasance must be stopped,” said Flora in a deep and superheroic voice.\u003cbr\u003e   “This malfeasance must be stopped” was what the unassuming janitor Alfred T. Slipper always said before he was transformed into the amazing Incandesto and became a towering, crime-fighting pillar of light.\u003cbr\u003e   Unfortunately, Alfred T. Slipper wasn’t present.\u003cbr\u003e   Where was Incandesto when you needed him?\u003cbr\u003e   Not that Flora really believed in superheroes. But still.\u003cbr\u003e   She stood at the window and watched as the squirrel was vacuumed up.\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e  Poof. Fwump.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   “Holy bagumba,” said Flora.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eCHAPTER TWO\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e The Mind of a Squirrel\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Not much goes on in the mind of a squirrel.\u003cbr\u003e   Huge portions of what is loosely termed “the squirrel brain” are given over to one thought: food.\u003cbr\u003e   The average squirrel cogitation goes something like this: \u003ci\u003eI wonder what there is to eat.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   This “thought” is then repeated with small variations (e.g., \u003ci\u003eWhere’s the food? Man, I sure am hungry. Is that a piece of food? \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eAre there \u003c\/i\u003emore\u003ci\u003e pieces of food?\u003c\/i\u003e) some six or seven thousand times a day.\u003cbr\u003e   All of this is to say that when the squirrel in the Tickhams’ backyard got swallowed up by the Ulysses 2000X, there weren’t a lot of terribly profound thoughts going through his head.\u003cbr\u003e   As the vacuum cleaner roared toward him, he did not (for instance) think, \u003ci\u003eHere, at last, is my fate come to meet me!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   He did not think, \u003ci\u003eOh, please, give me one more chance and I will be good.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   What he thought was\u003ci\u003e Man, I sure am hungry.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   And then there was a terrible roar, and he was sucked right off his feet.\u003cbr\u003e   At that point, there were no thoughts in his squirrel head, not even thoughts of food.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eCHAPTER THREE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e The Death of a Squirrel\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Seemingly, swallowing a squirrel was a bit much even for \u003cbr\u003e the powerful, indomitable, indoor\/outdoor Ulysses 2000X. Mrs. Tickham’s birthday machine let out an uncertain roar and stuttered to a stop.\u003cbr\u003e   Mrs. Tickham bent over and looked down at the vacuum cleaner.\u003cbr\u003e   There was a tail sticking out of it.\u003cbr\u003e   “For heaven’s sake,” said Mrs. Tickham, “what next?”\u003cbr\u003e   She dropped to her knees and gave the tail a tentative tug.\u003cbr\u003e   She stood. She looked around the yard.\u003cbr\u003e   “Help,” she said. “I think I’ve killed a squirrel.”","brand":"Candlewick","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46300115927269,"sku":"NP9780763660406","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780763660406.jpg?v=1767727473","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/flora-and-ulysses-isbn-9780763660406","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}