Kate DiCamillo's 'Flora & Ulysses' captures Newbery, Brian Floca's 'Locomotive' wins Caldecott Medal
'Flora & Ulysses' follows a young girl and her sidekick, a flying squirrel, while 'Locomotive' tells the story of a railroad journey taken by an American family in the 19th century.
'Flora & Ulysses' follows a young girl and her sidekick, a flying squirrel, while 'Locomotive' tells the story of a railroad journey taken by an American family in the 19th century.
The most prestigious award in children鈥檚 literature was awarded this year to a book about a plucky girl and her sidekick, a superhero flying squirrel who can type poetry.
Kate DiCamillo鈥檚 鈥淔lora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures,鈥� illustrated by K.G. Campbell, won the Newbery Medal as the best children鈥檚 book of 2013. The decision was announced by the American Library Association in Philadelphia on Monday morning.
Brian Floca, writer and illustrator of 鈥淟ocomotive,鈥� won the Caldecott Medal for best illustrated book. 鈥淟ocomotive鈥� presents a visual journey with sketches of an 1869 railroad trip taken by a family traveling from Omaha to Sacramento.
As a result of the Newbery Medal, 鈥淔lora & Ulysses鈥� is enjoying renewed attention after gaining praise upon its publication last year. The story opens with a neighbor sucking up a squirrel in her high-powered Ulysses Super-Suction Multi-Terrain 2000X vacuum. When he emerges from the vacuum with the help of 10-year-old Flora, it is with superhero powers: Ulysses the squirrel can now lift the vacuum above his head, type poetry, and go on a series of hilarious adventures with Flora.
It鈥檚 the second Newbery for DiCamillo, who鈥檚 on a winning streak 鈥� she won the award in 2003 for her young adult novel, 鈥淭he Tale of Despereaux.鈥� She was also recently named National Ambassador for Young People鈥檚 Literature by the Library of Congress to promote reading among youth across the country.
As for 鈥淟ocomotive,鈥� Monitor reviewer Augusta Scattergood describes it as a history of the Transcontinental Railroad in maps and pictures, a timetable, and an illustrated explanation of steam power.鈥�
The book鈥檚 fantastic prose matches its beautiful illustrations, says Scattergood, with phrases like: 鈥淗ere is how this road was built, with a grunt and a heave and a swing鈥� and the 鈥渟moke and cinders, ash and sweat鈥� of the coal engine. The award is given 鈥渢o the artist who had created the most distinguished picture book of the year.鈥�
The Newbery and Caldecott Medals, first awarded in 1922 and 1938, are among the oldest and most distinguished prizes in children鈥檚 literature.
Runners-up, presented as Honor Books, were also announced. They are as follows:
Newbery Honor Books: 鈥淒oll Bones,鈥� by Holly Black; 鈥淭he Year of Billy Miller,鈥� by Kevin Henkes; 鈥淥ne Came Home,鈥� by Amy Timberlake; 鈥淧aperboy,鈥� by Vince Vawter
Caldecott Honor Books: 鈥淛ourney,鈥� written and illustrated by Aaron Becker, 鈥淔lora and the Flamingo,鈥� written and illustrated by Molly Idle; 鈥淢r. Wuffles!鈥� written and illustrated by David Wiesner