The publisher dropped just a few tantalizing details: New novel by Kate DiCamillo, to be published next year. It's imaginative and witty, it plays with form, it was inspired by Rumi, and it somehow involves seal blubber.
That's it!!! That's all they'll say!!!
The book is called "The Illuminated Adventures of Flora and Ulysses," and I wish I could tell you that it's a chapter book, or a longform poem, or a graphic novel (I'm not sure, but it's apparently genre-breaking and is illustrated by K.G. Campbell) , or who Flora and Ulysses are (animal? vegetable? mineral? I have no idea), or what the plot involves (seal blubber...something about seal blubber).
Says DiCamillo, in a press release: "There is a line from the thirteenth century poet Rumi that I kept close by as I worked on this novel:The grief armies assemble,but I'm not going with them. For me, 'The Illuminated Adventures of Flora and Ulysses' is a book about joy and laughter, about moving away from grief and turning toward love. Additionally, it is a book about seal blubber."
What we do know: It was written by Minneapolis writer Kate DiCamillo, winner of the Newbery Award and many other honors; author of the Mercy Watson books, "Because of Winn-Dixie," and many other books; co-author of the two "Bink and Gollie" books, lover of dogs.
It will be published in September 2013 by Candlewick Press.
And we will be waiting for it.
Further, the affiant sayeth not.
