FICTION

Piper Morgan Joins the Circus

by Stephanie FARIS
illus. by Lucy Fleming. 112p. S. & S./Aladdin. Aug. 2016. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781481457095; pap. $5.99. ISBN 9781481457088.
COPY ISBN
Gr 2–5—When Piper Morgan's mom takes a temporary job with the Big Top Circus, Piper gets the chance to join the Little Explorers, a group of circus workers' kids who help with the elephants and act in the show. After Piper forgets her dance steps and upends the whole team, everyone is mad at her. Piper is sure her mom will get fired. But with the help of Miss Sarah, Big Top Bubba, and her newest friend Lexie, Piper saves the show, earns the camaraderie of the rest of the Little Explorers, and gets a round of applause from the audience. In her own voice, seven-year-old Piper shares her challenges and successes with readers. The closing chapter sets the scene for a future installment.
VERDICT While the tone and themes are a bit trite, energetic illustrations and informative "Fairground Fun Facts" between short chapters make this a choice for newly independent readers.
Reviewed by Lindsay Persohn, University of South Florida, Tampa
Piper's mother does a lot of temporary jobs, so there's always a new adventure around the corner. In Circus, Piper becomes part of a traveling circus's dance routine; next she becomes a "helper bee" at a new school (Charge!). The tame chapter books include inserts with facts (about circuses and school, respectively) and soft grayscale illustrations that underscore Piper's amiable personality. Review covers the following titles: Piper Morgan in Charge and Piper Morgan Joins the Circus.
 , May 01, 2016

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