Lauren Stoolfire

Lauren Stoolfire asked Kate DiCamillo:

I adored Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures! Congratulations on winning the 2014 Newbery Medal. Could you share some of your inspiration behind the cynic and the superpowered poetry writing squirrel?

Kate DiCamillo Lauren! I think that I bear more than a passing resemblance to Flora. I am a cynic. But I am not *really* a cynic. And the superhero, poetry-writing squirrel. He is about the wondrous improbability that is everywhere. And he is about love. And love is a hard thing for a cynic to argue with. Does all that make sense? Thank you for loving the book .

More Answered Questions

Hope

Hope asked Kate DiCamillo:

Kate, your earlier books had a back story of sadness and loss for the main character. With Flora and Ulysses, the girl is stalwart and zany. Do these qualities reflect you and a progression in your own life?

Lillith Fleischauer

Lillith Fleischauer asked Kate DiCamillo:

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Janet Aljunaidi

Janet Aljunaidi asked Kate DiCamillo:

My 12-yr-old wrote that she loved your characters because "None of them are perfect, but they all mean well. Like the preacher tries hard to be a good dad, but he's always busy with being a preacher." Do your characters show up in your head with a flaw already or as the story comes out the flaw(s) reveal themselves? Thank you!

All answers from Kate DiCamillo…

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