Circus Mirandus

Starred review from April 20, 2015
Knot-tying fifth grader Micah Tuttle has grown up on his grandfather’s stories of the magical Circus Mirandus, but when Grandpa Ephraim gets sick, the parentless Micah learns just how much power there can be in illusion. Beasley’s debut is a bit of its own three-ring circus, masterfully diverting readers’ attention among the pressing matter of Ephraim’s illness, the inventive descriptions of Circus Mirandus in Ephraim’s flashbacks and Micah’s visits, and the larger, more serious tragedy of those who refuse to believe. As Micah and his fact-loving friend, Jenny, search for a miracle to save his grandfather, the Lightbender and the rest of the acts at the circus fight “to keep enchantment alive in the world” while protecting children from the darker side of magic. From the seemingly small magic of Micah’s knot tricks to the life-changing illusions created by the Lightbender, readers will be left with the reminder that “just because a magic is small doesn’t mean it is unimportant” and the hope, reminiscent of Peter Pan, that those who still believe will always have magic in their lives. Ages 9–12. Agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties.

Starred review from March 15, 2015
One strange afternoon, 10-year-old Micah Tuttle finds out that magic is real. Micah always thought Grandpa Ephraim's wild stories of the centuries-old Circus Mirandus were spun solely for his amusement. But when his dying grandfather writes a letter to the "Lightbender," hoping to call in the miracle the magician had promised him as a boy, Micah learns the stories were true, and the appearance of Ms. Chintzy, the circus' cantankerous parrot messenger, clinches the deal. Happily, Micah finds a loyal if somewhat challenging friend to help him track down the elusive light-bending magician: the magic-leery, science-minded Jenny Mendoza. Their budding rapport is nuanced and complex, a refreshing illustration of how absolute like-mindedness is not a prerequisite for friendship. On one level, the book is a fantastical circus romp, with fortunetelling vultures and "a wallaby that could burp the Greek alphabet." On another, it's both serious and thick with longing: Micah's ache for the companionship of his once-vital guardian-grandfather; Grandpa Ephraim's boyhood yearning for his absent father, as fleshed out in flashbacks; the circus founders' desire to keep enchantment alive in a world where "faith is such a fragile thing." A delicious confection and much more: it shows that the human heart is delicate, that it matters, and that it must be handled with care. (Fiction. 9-12)

Starred review from April 1, 2015

Gr 4-6-Fifth-grader Micah Tuttle has been living with his Grandpa Ephraim since his parents died when he was very young. The two are close; Grandpa Ephraim teaches Micah how to tie complicated knots and tells him fanciful tales about the magical Circus Mirandus and its many performers, including a powerful illusionist called the Lightbender. When Grandpa Ephraim becomes gravely ill, his sister, the strict and dour Aunt Gertrudis, comes to take care of the household. She severely limits Micah's time with his sick grandfather, and the boy is distraught at the idea of losing the only important person in his life. In a stolen moment, Grandpa Ephraim surprises Micah by revealing that the Circus Mirandus is real, and that the Lightbender promised him a miracle when he was a child. The protagonist begins to hope that his grandfather will get well. The Circus Mirandus arrives in town on the wind, and Micah, with the help of his classmate Jenny Mendoza, seeks out the Lightbender and tries to retrieve the miracle that Grandpa Ephraim has requested. During a whirlwind adventure in the Circus, Micah learns about his family and discovers that the miracle that Grandpa Ephraim asked for might not be the one that Micah had in mind. Circus Mirandus is not a simple story, but readers will be rewarded for delving into its intricacies. VERDICT This gripping fantasy tale will have readers hooked from the opening scene to the breathtaking-and unexpected-conclusion.-Sarah Reid, Broome County Public Library, Binghamton, NY

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2015
Grades 4-7 Micah's parents died when he was just a toddler, and now he happily lives with Grandpa Ephraim, who tells him fantastic stories, the best of which are about Circus Mirandus, a circus kids can only attend if they believe in magic. When Ephraim was a boy, he came upon the magical circus and met the Man Who Bends Light, who was so impressed by Ephraim's knot-tying skills that he promised him a miracle. Now, many years later, Ephraim is dying, and Micah is determined to make sure he gets his miracle. Joined by his skeptical, brilliant friend Jenny, Micah seeks out Circus Mirandus to see its wonders for himself and to confront the Lightbender, though in the process, he learns more about himself than he ever expected. Debut author Beasley has built an imaginative world in evocative, painterly prose, particularly the circus, and she's filled it with compellingly multifaceted characters. Some elements don't quite knit together, but with a sequel in the works, don't be surprised if those loose ends tie up nicely.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 27, 2015
Fifth grader Micah Tuttle has grown up on his grandfather’s stories of the magical Circus Mirandus, but when Grandpa Ephraim gets sick, the parentless Micah and his friend Jenny try to find the circus, learning just how much power there can be in illusion. Beasley fills her middle-grade novel with over-the-top characters—elderly folk, young kids, magical circus performers, haughty and evil villainesses, talking circus animals—and reader Pinchot sinks his teeth into them all. The wicked aunt is creaky and growly. The loving grandfather is warm and twinkling. The children are enthusiastic and hopeful. Pinchot does a terrific impersonation of a talking parrot. The stakes are high, the action is wild, the resolution satisfying; Pinchon embodies the whimsy of the text, yet he also takes it seriously. He narrates with a sense of wonder in his voice that makes the magic of the book come alive. Ages 9–12. A Dial hardcover.

September 1, 2015
Micah lives with his grandpa Ephraim, who regales him with stories of the amazing Circus Mirandus and its magical leader, the Lightbender. But now that Ephraim is dying and unimaginative Aunt Gertrudis is taking over Micah's care, it seems that the Circus might actually be real. Beasley's first novel succeeds in tone, suspense, and inventiveness of the magical setting, but her invented world feels more convincing than her real one, and the highly allegorical character and narrative arcs never get far beyond obvious hints and platitudes: Do you realize that magic as we know it is fading? Do you realize that [we] are fighting to keep enchantment alive in the world? You say the children aren't special, but they are. They are the key to everything. The reader may not be sure why this matters, but may believe it does, and a promised sequel might hold the answers. Beasley has talent in crafting energy on the page but has not yet succeeded in telling a fully realized story. nina lindsay

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)