Circus Mirandus

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley I got to see the first few chapters on Netgalley as a sneak peek and after tearing through the preview I ordered this book. It arrived and the cover is just as fun as what is inside the book. Peek through the cutout cover and see a world of wonder. Our main character is Micah. His grandfather Ephram once got an invitation to attend the Circus Mirandus for a week. While there he witnessed magic and it transported him for a little while away from the turmoil of living during WWII. Ephram’s favorite attraction was the Light Bender. A man who could pull anything from your imagination and make it real, even if only for a moment. Ephram did something then that earned him a miracle, and now it is time for him to collect that miracle. Because Ephram is dying and he has one last wish, all he needs is the Light Bender to come and grant it. Micah is the type of hero I love. In a wonderful Cinderella story, if Cinderella was a Prince instead of a princess, Micah has just a few days to convince the Light Bender and the members of this magical circus to help his grandfather. Because Grandpa Ephram only has a few days left and Micah needs that miracle to come true. Micah will fight with his new best friend for that miracle and discover what Grandpa Ephram’s last wish is. Because sometimes what we really want isn't what we really need. This is a story that takes place in a kind of any-town USA, and features a great cast of characters. There are bad guys, good guys, magic, school, a brilliant elephant, and a wise cracking parrot. I read this in one short sitting, and the end left me with a smile. While there is room for a sequel, the end of the story does not leave you hanging. If you read The Vampire’s Assistant and loved the beginning of the series but found the ending unsettling and unsatisfying, this story is for you. This is classic escapism fantasy and if your child likes that kind of story, I recommend this story for you. A great story for boys and girls, dreamers and adventurers. The next part contains spoilers so Don't read if you don't want to know: Parental Note: For the age range, not a whole lot. There is a death in the story and it is handled well for the target age range. The Aunt is borderline abusive, and while her reason for being so mean is explained about two thirds of the way through, it still does not excuse her horrible behavior.

One word: amazing. I read this to my girls (ages 13, 11, and 6) for a homeschool read aloud. I’m not one to enjoy most “kid books”, but this book was just amazing. It has so much emotion, such vivid imagery, and likable characters. It opened up great conversation with my kids throughout the story. It was sad, inspiring, and of course magical! I felt like I could actually see Circus Mirandus through the words of the author. My three girls enjoyed it immensely as well. They didn’t want it to end and asked if there was a sequel as soon as we finished it. So many kids books today use potty humor and portray families disrespecting each other.....it was so nice to see none of that in this book. No name calling, no rude children. A breath of fresh air!

First things first: this book is beautiful. You can’t tell from the picture of the book cover, but the hat on the dust jacket is actually a cut out. It reveals part of the gorgeous illustration on the book’s cover. Every other chapter begins with a full-page black-and-white illustration (the other chapters have tiny illustrations heading up the chapters). Lovely! I’m a sucker for illustrations, I must admit. This is a “middle readers” book, which means it’s targeted to grades 4 through 7. The vocabulary and writing style are pretty simple (breezy for an adult, accessible for a kid). That said, it handles some heavier subjects, including: disease, death, and dying; betrayal, disappointment, and abandonment; and loyalty, honesty, faith, and friendship. The best way to describe this book: it’s a bit like The Night Circus for kids. Like the black-and-white, magical Night Circus, Circus Mirandus appears without warning. A kid can follow the wind and the sound of drums and pipes to its location. But, as the back of the book warns, “You have to believe it to see it.” There’s lots of fun, magic-y stuff like a parrot messenger (think a friendlier version Iago from Disney’s Aladdin), an illusionist who can make you feel like you’re hanging out with Arctic penguins one second and floating the Amazon the next, magic doors that allow distance travel in mere moments, and a French vulture “that could tell the future by plucking its own feathers.” This is the kind of book you want to read to/with a kid (I would have loved reading this to my fifth-grade students). It is a book about the power of imagination and belief and wonder and magic (“It’s important, when you first see magic, to recognize it. You don’t often get a second chance.”). It reminds us that adults (like Micah’s awful Aunt Gertrudis) often “spoil the mood” with their pesky lack of belief. It extolls keeping one’s word. And it celebrates wonderful friendships. It’s a pretty book, inside and out. And (this is NOT a spoiler, fret not) the ending sets things up for more Circus Mirandus books (without doing the annoying thing I hate of not actually wrapping things up/finishing the book itself)! Bring ’em on!!

Good, quality book. Bought for son’s school reading. Worked well and worth money!

Stories about kids staying young abound (for example, "Peter Pan," "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,"), but this is a new approach. Grandpa Ephraim enthralls Micah with his tales of the circus, as well as teaching him knot tying skills. Micah doesn't realize how talented he is at first, but the reader does. Can you imagine spelling people's names or creating their likeness by tying knots in a certain way? Grandpa Ephraim is grooming Micah with stories and skills for the day when he cannot be present to guide his grandson any more. When Micah gets to visit the circus for the first time, he is mesmerized with the variety of talented performers. His enthusiasm is enough to help his only friend, who possesses way too much common sense, finally see the magic, too. I especially like the ending. All along, it becomes more apparent that Micah has to escape from his Aunt Gertrudis' mean supervision and join the Circus, but how he does it is original. There are problems at every step for Micah and his friend to solve; he with his powerful belief in magic and Jenny with a heavy dose of logic. Micah's strong belief in his grandpa and in magic carries the reader along with him.

This was a great story. I read it aloud to my kids (12 and 9) and they begged for another chapter most nights. When it was over, they begged for the sequel. The characters were great; Micah is well rounded and felt natural for his age. The themes dealt with were big ones. One that stood out to me was love for your neighbor and the consequences of doing so (or not). There's joy, struggle, good humor, and a bit of the miraculous. Highly recommend. If the author sees this: thank you so much. I hope you continue to write. Highly, highly recommend

Grampa Ephraim is sick, and it's not just the flu, so when his grandson Micah gets desperate, he remembers the old stories of Circus Mirandus--and the lightbender that has promised grampa a miracle. Micah and his friend Jenny Mendoza head off to find Circus Mirandus in hopes of redeeming Grampa Ephraim's miracle. Perhaps they can buy some time. But that isn't how the Lightbender's magic works. What a fantastic story Circus Mirandus is: childlike belief and wonder, odd and splendid circus people, delightful magic and bittersweet tones. Give to readers who love Roald Dahl, or readers who love magic, or readers who have dreamed of running away with the circus, or readers who have desperately wanted to hang onto someone that they love. Give it to everyone

While I'm not really the target-audience for this kind of book (and I don't even really like YA), I enjoyed the heck out of CIRCUS MIRANDUS. Beasley's phrasing is excellent, and the book was filled with lines that made me want to break out a highlighter and take note. What I liked most about the book, I think, is its willingness to go in some strange places. In particular, Beasley doesn't pull back from some of the sadder moments of the story, or from some of the emotionally complicated moments either (e.g., the situation with a character named Victoria). That CIRCUS MIRANDUS was willing to go in those directions was refreshing and exciting without being "too adult" for younger readers. I'd be remiss, however, if I didn't mention how fun much of the book is. When two characters go to the movies, when Ms. Chintzey gets sassy, when a character rides a balloon -- it's all a lot of fun. I do wish it was a bit longer, as I would have enjoyed spending more time with Micah Tuttle.