Flora & Ulysses

For the film adaptation, see Flora & Ulysses (film).

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 tells the story of Flora Belle Buckman and a squirrel named Ulysses.

Flora & Ulysses

First edition
Author	Kate DiCamillo
Illustrator	K.G. Campbell
Language	English
Genre	Children's
Publisher	Candlewick Press
Publication date	2013
Publication place	United States
Pages	231 pp

The illustrations include full-page and small pencil drawings, together with comic-book panels describing the gang's adventures.

Plot

Set in the 21st century in a suburb town of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Flora Belle Buckman, a self-proclaimed cynic, spends her time reading comic books and struggling to understand her parents’ recent divorce. She is jolted into action when the neighbor runs over a squirrel with a vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner is her neighbor's present for his wife. The squirrel's brush with death causes him to develop superpowers, allowing him to understand humans and become smarter. Flora then names the squirrel Ulysses after the vacuum cleaner accident. Flora sneaks him inside and then explains to Ulysses that he must use his newfound powers to right wrongs, fight injustice, "or something." Then she shows Ulysses the Amazing Adventures of Indacansto! Then, that night, Ulysses decides to write on Flora's mother's typewriter, revealing he can write poetry.

Next, Flora's mother asks Flora's father to kill the squirrel, but he does not wish to do so. Flora oversees their conversation and then gets suspicious. On a drive to her fathers house, she questions him. Her father, wanting to stall, asks if she and Ulysses want to eat. In the diner, Ulysses flies and gets hurt. After they leave, they visit a nice doctor, who grew up in Blundermeen. She shares some wisdom with the group. But before they can leave, a cat named Mr. Klaus jumps on Flora's father's head. Ulysses then throws the cat off his head and then on the floor.

When they come home, Flora confronts her mother about her desire to kill Ulysses, a shouting match erupts in which Flora comes to believe her mother does not love her. Flora, feeling hurt, declares that she will go home with her father. Ulysses writes a poem to explain Flora and her mother's real emotions, but Flora's mother kidnaps him before the poem can be read. Flora puts together a crack team to rescue Ulysses, who has already escaped, leaving Flora's mother to read his poem. The cast reunites in the father's apartment building where Flora's cynical exterior is cracked for good as she realizes her mother truly loves her.

Awards

Flora & Ulysses won the Newbery Medal for 2014.

Reception

The Horn Book review described the book as "heartwarming" with plenty of humor and a "quirky supporting cast", and notes that the illustrations "accentuate the mood".

Film adaptation

Main article: Flora & Ulysses (film)

On May 31, 2018, it was announced that Disney was developing a film adaptation of the novel for their streaming service, Disney+, with Brad Copeland writing the script. Matilda Lawler stars as Flora, and her parents are played by Alyson Hannigan and Ben Schwartz. The film was released on February 19, 2021, streaming on Disney+.