Scan barcode
lydiawallis's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Kate DiCamillo does it again! This is a very unique book that my students really enjoyed. There were some surprisingly hard topics covered in this lighthearted book (divorce, trauma), but I think she covered them well. I especially love how she weaves in new vocabulary words throughout so that students have a memorable way of learning these words!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Drug use, and Addiction
Flora’s mom smokes and is an absent parent. Floras parents are divorced.deelightfull's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
mcayers316's review against another edition
2.0
This was not my cup of tea. I just found the story so unrealistic (and that's not even concerning the squirrel with super powers). I could easily have gone along with the squirrel with super powers; the kids in the book just didn't read as realistic. I work at a busy library and I meet all kinds of kids. I have never encountered a child that spoke like either Flora or William. Honestly, I don't know many adults that would speak the way they did either. It kept pulling me out of the story and it took me over two weeks to finish reading this. I forced myself to finish it, but unfortunately I can't say that I enjoyed it any better after the ending.
katykelly's review against another edition
5.0
Hugely smart and buckets of fun - and not just for kids.
Flora loves her comic - Terrible Things that can happen to you. It has prepared her for almost every eventuality life might throw at her. And often makes her think in and see the world as a comic book. But she's not wholly prepared when next door's vacuum cleaner sucks up a squirrel and gives him superpowers. Yes that's right, read that sentence again if you need to.
Naming him Ulysses, Flora knows he has a purpose - to do good. Unfortunately her romance-writing mother would not understand, so Flora must seek advice from other sources, possibly 'William Spiver' (don't call him William), her neighbour Tootie or her comic-loving father.
It's madcap, it's fast-paced. Ulysses is a pretty well drawn (no pun intended) character with a fairly impressive sideline in poetry. Flora and William Spiver (don't call him William) are fun to follow and there's lots of humour in their situations as well as occasional pathos.
The comic side of this is hilarious, illustrations beautiful, story very engaging and style original and appealing. Give it a try - adults and their offspring.
Flora loves her comic - Terrible Things that can happen to you. It has prepared her for almost every eventuality life might throw at her. And often makes her think in and see the world as a comic book. But she's not wholly prepared when next door's vacuum cleaner sucks up a squirrel and gives him superpowers. Yes that's right, read that sentence again if you need to.
Naming him Ulysses, Flora knows he has a purpose - to do good. Unfortunately her romance-writing mother would not understand, so Flora must seek advice from other sources, possibly 'William Spiver' (don't call him William), her neighbour Tootie or her comic-loving father.
It's madcap, it's fast-paced. Ulysses is a pretty well drawn (no pun intended) character with a fairly impressive sideline in poetry. Flora and William Spiver (don't call him William) are fun to follow and there's lots of humour in their situations as well as occasional pathos.
The comic side of this is hilarious, illustrations beautiful, story very engaging and style original and appealing. Give it a try - adults and their offspring.
protoman21's review against another edition
4.0
Although I enjoyed this book, I couldn't help but feel like the Newbery Award people were a bit lazy and just said, "Eh, just give it to DiCamillo again." Flora, a self proclaimed cynic, could only be called a cynic by a rainbow because though she tries to not hope for things, she always finds a way to do it anyway. Her superhero obsession flavors her view of the world and her thoughts and words, which was fun for me, being a superhero fan myself. The Ulysses chapters were handled very well with short glances into his new existence. I feel like longer chapters from his perspective wouldn't have worked, so DiCamillo made a wise choice in keeping them short and sweet. Her mom played an excellent villain and her dad was a very loveable figure. William Spiver could have been annoying with his quirkiness, and he came close at times, but overall ended up as a positive addition to the novel. If I didn't read this knowing it was the Newbery winner, I probably would have been perfectly happy and moved on, but because I had a deeper more profound experience with DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux, I left this one a bit disappointed.
katieinca's review against another edition
5.0
Read this one aloud with my two kids, and they both LOVED it. The would pore over the illustrations and giggle, and always beg for "one more chapter" before bed. I loved it too. It's a book about a squirrel with superpowers, but it's also a book about a girl navigating her relationships with her two (flawed, human) divorced parents.
barizley's review against another edition
5.0
The whole family - parents and kids - loved this. We are big Kate DiCamillo fans and this might be my favorite one yet.
gmamartha's review against another edition
3.0
"My kids" definitely do not like this one. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to matter which year's kids it is, they object to being talked to in a book. They much prefer "listening in" instead of being addressed in the text. I usually agree with them, but not always. If someone is looking for a bridge between superheros and realistic fantasy, this would probably be it.