Circus Mirandus

Book talk: Micah Tuttle loves listening to his grandpa's stories of the magical Circus Mirandus with its invisible tiger, flying birdwoman, and a powerful magician known as the Lightbender. People think they're just stories, but Grandpa insists that they're true and Micah believes him. Now Grandpa is dying and the only thing that can save him is a miracle. Luckily, the Lightbender owes his grandpa just that. But is the circus real? Will Micah be able to convince the Lightbender to pay his debt? It's hard to believe in magic in a world of cynics, but Micah would do anything to give his grandpa another chance.

Rave: This is a beautifully-told, heart-breaking story of the connection between a boy and his grandfather. The circus is delightful and the magical elements fantastic, but when you boil it down this relationship is the core of the story. It suffuses the whole book with emotion and a deep meaning about the difficulty of letting go. On top of all that it's a great magical quest/adventure story.

Every book its reader: I'd give this to fans of magical adventures and tear-jerkers. It has a classic feel like Peter Pan and would make a great family read-aloud. 3rd & up.

Topics and Trends: Grandfathers, grief, circuses, magic, tearjerkers

Extras:

The Texas Bluebonnet Awards made a great trailer:


There's a lot of great quote images made to promote this book:

Bonus Quote:

“Grandpa Ephraim was always saying things that sounded so important Micah wanted to wrap them up in boxes and keep them forever.”

Source: School Library

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley: buy it or check it out today!