Saturday, July 4, 2015

Circus Mirandus by Cassis Beasley –ADVISABLE

Beasley, Cassie  Circus Mirandus 292 pgs, Dial (Penguin); 2015. $18.00 Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G Violence: G
Micah is being raised by his grandpa Ephraim, and thanks to this has always believed in magic. Grandpa has stories of a magical circus and the adventures he had there as a child. Now that Grandpa is maybe dying, things for Micah have changed, and his dreaded Aunt Gertrudis is “taking care” of them. Grandpa tells Micah that he is owed a favor by one of the circus performers, the Lightbender, and that it has come time to collect on it. Micah pins his hopes that this will be what it takes to keep his beloved Grandpa alive and return to their joyous life together. With the help of a new friend, Micah tries to find the circus and make sure that promise is kept.
Ok, I am going to admit straight off. This book made me cry, in a good way, it’s a wonderful book. Its utterly enchanting and charming. The magical element is approached in a very believable way, and you find yourself as desperate as the main character to find magical help. I love the character development and the natural friendship between Micah and his new friend. The illustrations are fascinating. Why then, did I not rate it as Essential? I find myself questioning whether elementary students will find common ground with the main characters situation and the longer length of the book.

EL -ADVISABLE  Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

No comments: