FICTION

Emma's Circus

by Candace FLEMING
illus. by Christine Davenier. 40p. Farrar/Margaret Ferguson Bks. Jul. 2017. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780374399078.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 2—The circus is in town, and Emma longs to see it. "Sorry," says her dad. There are too many farm chores to be finished before winter. But does a bear on a unicycle wink at Emma as it zips by? Believe it or not, over the course of several days, more and more circus performers show up to play with Emma in the barn, exiting only when Mama hollers, "Supper!" Nobody else notices a thing until the day the family throw open the barn doors and find Emma's circus. What a performance they witness, with acrobats, jugglers, sword swallowers, elephants, camels, lions, and, of course, the original unicycling bear. Davenier's happy, splashy ink and watercolor illustrations tell the story with dynamic, cluttered detail.
VERDICT A fun and rollicking read-aloud to share with a group. Children will linger over each increasingly crowded page, enjoying the ways the farm animals get into the act.
Reviewed by Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY
Emma is dying to go to the circus, but her farming family is too busy. Then a unicycling bear appears, followed the next day by two horn-playing seals, then three juggling monkeys, and on until the whole circus arrives and performs. Autumnal golds and reds create a cheerful setting for the buoyant but nostalgic story.
 , Jun 01, 2017

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

BOOKS

Noisy Christmas: My First Touch and Feel Sound Book
by Cox, Hettie
BOOKS

Five Sparkling Snowmen: A Rhyming Count Down Christmas Board Book
by Edwards, Nicola
BOOKS

A Magical Christmas: A Padded Christmas Story Book
by Freedman, Claire
BOOKS

Night Night, Sleepy Elves: A Lift-the-Flap Bedtime Christmas Book
by Wood, Selina
BOOKS

Love Is My Favorite Color
by Laden, Nina
BOOKS

Harriet’s Reflections
by Kadi, Marion
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?