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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Micah's Grandpa Ephraim has raised Micah since his parents died when he was very young. He's a loving, if slightly permissive, guardian who tells Micah stories of a magical circus he visited as a young boy during the war. (World War II? There's a vague, timeless quality to Grandpa Ephraim's stories that initially conjured images of England, but they're apparently in New England.) Unfortuantely, Grandpa Ephraim is dying. Although it's never stated directly, his symptoms sound like emphysema.
Grandpa Ephraim's truly awful sister has come to live with them and, when the inevitable finally happens, she'll be taking Micah to live with her in Arizona, on the other side of the country. Great-aunt Gertrudis (GERTRUDIS!) is an AA (awful adult) along the lines of the Dursleys or a Roald Dahl antagonist. My 9-year-old was ready to throw down by Chapter 2. Although some of the reasons for her awfulness are explained later in the book, she remains bitter and cruel beyond explanation.
As Micah begins to realize that the stories about Circus Mirandus may actually be true, he's aided in his quest to save his grandfather by Jenny Mendoza, a new girl at his school with whom he's supposed to do a class project. Although Jenny is a bit uptight, she's smart and loyal, and pretty darn amazing -- a bit of a Hermione.
I just realized that I've referenced HP twice in this review, and that the main character is an 11-year-old orphan, and that magic is a big part of the story, but this is in no way derivative of HP. It's a cozy little story that focuses more on relationships, rather than an epic tale of good and evil.
"A favorite to those who enjoy Big Fish, Peter Pan, and Roald Dahl", indeed. I could see the twinkling lights, see the golden glow surrounding the Circus at night, smell the hay, the popcorn, the candy, and hear the music. This book was marvelous. I cannot WAIT to read this with my children. I cried multiple times at the beauty of the story. The illustrations at the beginning of each chapter where whimsical and so fitting to the tale. And the red-and-white stripped circus tent dust jacket was divine, too.
My problems with it are mostly boiled down to this: there aren't many "good" female characters in this book which is disappointing. Clearly, Jenny is the exception. We are given some back story eventually on both Victoria and Gertie that give some depth to their stories. But I was hoping for some resolution for both of these women that was not given.
But I can't end on a bad note. This is a beautiful story wrapped in an exquisite package. The bow is an intricate Tuttle knot. And I believe in magic!
I liked hearing his grandfather's story and how it tied in with his, and all about the circus. Super fun.
The Circus Mirandus is a place that is full of magic and is very real for children who believe in it. Like some other classic stories, Circus Mirandus is about seeing the magic in everyday life, and believing in the possible. Those who sustain belief and hold hope are the ones who experience the sights and sounds, the wonder, and the magic of this circus that has been around for centuries. Ephraim Tuttle was one of those children, and Circus Mirandus changed his life. He still believes and still tells tales of his time at Circus Mirandus when he is a much older man caring for his grandson, Micah. Grandpa Tuttle's belief is such that, as his health is failing, he sends a message to the circus' "Man Who Bends Light" to call in the "miracle" the illusionist promised to Ephraim years and years before.
This book was a delightful read that tugged at my heartstrings. The love between Grandpa Ephraim and Micah is a pure and strong love that will make adult readers think wistfully about similar relationships they had with significant adults during their childhoods, and make youngsters think of those special adult relatives or friends who make their lives "magical". It is a book that will likely stay with me for a long time as I consider the magic in and around my own life. Circus Mirandus IS magic!
Along the way, he discovers there's more to his grandfather's past than he thought and that he may have some magic of his own.
Circus Mirandus has all the highlights of a good children's fantasy: a have-to-believe-it-to-see-it magic system, an orphan boy, a cruel aunt, and a skeptic girl with a kind soul.