Knot Your Ordinary Circus!

Micah lives with Grandpa Ephraim, who has fallen ill. Unfortunately, Aunt Gertrudis comes to stay with them and she doesn’t like Micah to spend very much time with his grandfather. Now Micah is worried, so much so that he forgets about a big project that's due at school. His partner, Jenny, isn’t too happy, but when he almost breaks down about his grandfather they have a serious talk and she decides to come over and help him get the project ready. Little does Jenny know they’re also going to be visiting the Circus Mirandus. Micah has been hearing about it from his grandfather since he was little and he has wanted to see the Man Who Bends Light and all the marvelous performers. He remembers the unique token his grandfather used for admittance and knows that the circus doesn’t come to everyone. But the Lightbender owes Ephraim a miracle and now is the time for one. Magic and imagination work together to help show Jenny and Micah the way. Will they be able to see the fantastical sights before them? Will the Lightbender be able to help Micah’s grandfather? Do the knots Micah learned to make at a young age have the ability to change his life? Let your mind drift away with the music and you will find out!

I had heard a lot of great things about Circus Mirandus before I started reading it. I liked the fact that Micah is so close to his grandfather. I felt bad for him because of the way Aunt Gertrudis was treating him, and it was great seeing the friendship between Micah and Jenny develop. I think it was something they both needed. I was happy to see that Circus Mirandus is a magical circus with performers that are people. Learning about the knots that Micah and Grandpa Ephraim made me want to make some. I like that it is all about a place that can inspire hope in children and maybe even take away some of the sadness of their everyday lives. This was a good book and I recommend it to kids in third grade and up. It's definitely for those who believe that anything is possible!

Has anyone else read Circus Mirandus? Or have you read another book by Cassie Beasley? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!

~L

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Answer to Monday's Riddle: Slip the Knot...

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! Friday, Lizzy's review will have us tied up in knots, so stay tuned. See you all around the book block. ; ) ~ F

A wrench in your gut feels like me. I'm all tied up when out at sea. I twist the lines tangled together; if strong enough, I'll manage the weather. Tight, loose or taken apart depends on where your fingers start. 

What am I? Answer: A Knot!

 

 

Fairday's Riddles: Volume I 
Make time to riddle and rhyme!

62 original riddles and illustrations
Available in all e-book formats

 

 

 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Monday's Riddle: All Tied Up...

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme this week? I'm always impressed by how complicated they can become. ; ) ~ F

A wrench in your gut feels like me. I'm all tied up when out at sea. I twist the lines tangled together; if strong enough, I'll manage the weather. Tight, loose or taken apart depends on where your fingers start. 

What am I? Stop by Wednesday for the answer. 

I gave you a clue!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Will Miranda Figure Out What the Notes Mean?

"I am coming to save your friend's life and my own." When You Reach Me.

It’s the end of the 1970s and twelve year old Miranda lives with her mother in a rundown apartment right upstairs from her best friend, Sal. They walk back and forth to school together every day noticing the “laughing man” on the street corner who's always pumping his fist and shouting into the air. Forever it's been Miranda and Sal. Until the day they’re walking home and he gets punched by a new kid for no reason. Miranda can’t figure out why- but after that Sal doesn’t want to be her friend anymore. Luckily, she and Annemarie begin hanging out more and during their lunch break they even go to Jimmy's restaurant with a boy in their class, Colin, and work (for free sandwiches). They don't get paid, but it's still fun. Miranda also gets to know Marcus, the boy who punched Sal. She thought he would be a bully, but he's actually very nice and he's also read her favorite book- A Wrinkle in Time. He tries to explain the one thing he doesn't like about the book, but Miranda doesn't quite get what he’s talking about. Still, she can't stop thinking about what he said and she continues to try to make sense of it. When Miranda receives a small written note with a mysterious message she's nervous and tells her mother. The notes keep coming and she's informed that she shouldn’t tell anyone about them. Now she's even more worried. Who's sending Miranda the notes? What do they mean? Why doesn’t Sal want to be friends anymore? Will she figure out what is going on? You will have to connect the dots as you read!

I had heard about When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. One of my favorite things is the connection to the book A Wrinkle in Time. Miranda is obsessed with this story and brings her copy everywhere. I can understand how she feels because I love this book too, so right away that helped me relate to her character. Because the story takes place in the 1970s I thought it was interesting to see what life was like then compared to now. I like Miranda and how she really thinks about things. It was fun learning about how she was helping her mom prepare for a game show. I especially liked trying to piece together the clues of what was happening once Miranda started receiving the notes. I put most of it together fairly quickly, but I wasn't sure I was correct until the end. And I was still missing one piece. I recommend this book to kids who like A Wrinkle in Time, science-fiction, time travel, realistic fiction and a story with hidden messages.

Has anyone else read When You Reach Me? Or have you read another book by Rebecca Stead? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!

~L 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Answer to Monday's Riddle: Ironing Out the Wrinkle...

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! Friday, Lizzy's review will unfold a mystery that involves the classic fantasy story A Wrinkle in Time, so stay tuned. See you all around the book block. ; ) ~ F

Two clues for a title give it away, Who, Which, Whatsit point the way. The shortest distance is not a straight line, rather knowing the right sign. A crease in your fabric creates new dimension, folded over it adds tension. Take that word, string it to when; a story we'd rate ten out of ten. 

What am I referring to? Answer: A Wrinkle in Time by Mary L' Engle 

 

Fairday's Riddles: Volume I 
Make time to riddle and rhyme!

62 original riddles and illustrations
Available in all e-book formats

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Monday's Riddle: A Crease in the Layers...

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme this week? I think this book has a great deal of impact on my subconscious mind. ; )  F

Two clues for a title give it away, Who, Which, Whatsit point the way. The shortest distance is not a straight line, rather knowing the right sign. A crease in your fabric creates new dimension, folded over it adds tension. Take that word, string it to when; a story we'd rate ten out of ten. 

What am I referring to? Stop by Wednesday for the answer. 

I gave you a clue!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Can Lucy Find the Perfect Shots?

Lucy moves around a lot because her father is a famous photographer and he’s always looking for the next assignment. It's the start of summer, and her family has ended up on a lake in New Hampshire. Right before her dad leaves for his latest shoot, Lucy finds out about a photography contest for kids, but her dad is the judge. She knows she shouldn’t enter, but she wants to prove that she can take pictures too. Lucy knows it's hard to make friends, but things look promising when she meets Nate on the dock while she's taking pictures. It turns out Nate is only visiting the lake, like he does every year. When school starts he'll be going back to New Jersey. Still, Lucy and Nate become fast friends. He decides to help her find the perfect picture for each category of the photo contest. They're also recording their observations of the loons on the lake during what they call "loon patrol. Nate's grandmother, Grandma Lilah, loves finding out what's happening with them. At first Lucy was frightened by the call of the loons, but the more she learns about them the more fascinated she becomes. This is a very rough time for Nate, as his grandmother has the beginnings of dementia, so this will probably be her last season on the lake. One day Lucy snaps the perfect picture of Grandma Lilah, which Nate tells her she can't use in the contest. Should she submit it anyway? What will happen when her father finds out? What will the loon teach her? Pick up this book so you don’t miss the fun at the lake!

I read Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord because I've read other books by her and really enjoyed them. I met Ms. Lord this past November at the UCONN Children's Book Fair and I couldn't wait to read her latest book. I was not disappointed. I've spent time in New Hampshire and I think she captured the setting perfectly. I liked Lucy. I could relate to her concern about Grandma Lilah and her uncertainty with the developing friendship with Nate. I've always found photography interesting, so I loved learning more about that too. I knew a little about loons before reading this book, but now I know much more and think I'd have fun going on "loon patrol." The title ties into the theme of the story because having half a chance is better than having no chance at all. I recommend this book to kids in fourth grade and up who like realistic fiction and stories about friendship. Kids who have known someone with dementia will understand how Nate feels and the struggles his family deals with. This is a great book any time of year, but it's perfect for summer!

Has anyone else read Half a Chance? Or have you read another book by Cynthia Lord? We'd love to hear your thoughts! 

We were lucky enough to interview Ms. Lord a while back if you want to check out what she had to say about writing. 

Happy Reading!

~L