About This Book
Reach for this book when your child feels like a lonely observer of the world or is struggling to process a change in family dynamics, such as a divorce. Flora is a self-described cynic who uses comic book logic to protect herself from disappointment, but her life changes when she rescues a squirrel with burgeoning superhero powers. Through her bond with the poetic Ulysses, Flora begins to move past her emotional defenses to find genuine connection. This Newbery Medal winner is a quirky, laugh-out-loud adventure that balances absurdist humor with a deep, tender exploration of what it means to open one's heart. It is perfectly suited for middle-grade readers who appreciate offbeat characters and stories that take their big feelings seriously without being overly sentimental.
What Parents Should Know
Read plot summary
Flora Belle Buckman, a young girl navigating her parents' recent divorce, rescues a squirrel named Ulysses from a vacuum cleaner accident. The event grants Ulysses super-strength, flight, and the ability to type poetry. As Flora tries to protect Ulysses from her mother, who views the squirrel as a nuisance, she forms unexpected bonds with a sensitive neighbor and her own father. SENSITIVE TOPICS: DISTRESS: There is a scene early on where a neighbor accidentally vacuums up a squirrel, which may be briefly distressing for very sensitive animal lovers, though the squirrel emerges unharmed and enhanced. Flora's mother asks Flora's father to kill the squirrel by hitting it with a shovel and putting it in a sack, which is a cold and potentially upsetting moment for children. CONVERSATION: Parents should be prepared to discuss the emotional fallout of divorce. Flora's 'cynicism' is a clear defense mechanism against the pain of her parents' split. Parents can talk about how people sometimes act 'tough' or 'cynical' when they are actually feeling hurt or lonely. EMOTIONAL ARC: The story begins in a place of guarded loneliness and cynical detachment. As the absurd adventures with Ulysses unfold, the tone shifts from guarded to expansive, ending in a place of profound hope and emotional vulnerability. IDEAL READER: A thoughtful 9-year-old who feels like an outsider or is dealing with a 'high-strung' parent and needs to see that it is okay to let their guard down. PARENT TRIGGER: A parent might see their child withdrawing into books or hobbies to avoid family tension and want a way to bridge that gap. PARENT PREP: This book is safe to read cold, but parents might want to look at the comic-strip sequences together to ensure the child is following the visual storytelling. AGE EXPERIENCE: Younger readers will focus on the slapstick humor of the superhero squirrel. Older readers will resonate with Flora's complex relationship with her mother and her struggle to feel loved. DIFFERENTIATOR: The hybrid format of prose and graphic novel sequences makes it exceptionally accessible for reluctant readers while maintaining high literary quality.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Flora calls herself a cynic to avoid being disappointed. Why do you think she feels she needs to protect herself this way?
2
Ulysses writes poetry to express his feelings. If you had a superpower that helped you say what is in your heart, what would it be?
3
Flora's mother loves her shepherdess lamp very much. What does that lamp represent to her, and why does it make Flora feel left out?
4
At the end of the book, Flora realizes her heart is 'capacious' (meaning it has a lot of room). What changed to make her feel that way?
