Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley
| Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: Sophie Diamond
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| Summary: An enchanting tale about the real power of believing in magic. A delightful tale to share with your children. | |
| Buy? Yes. | Borrow? Yes. |
| Pages: 293 | Date: June 2015 |
| Publisher: Chicken House | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1101892312 | |
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Micah is an orphan who has been raised by his grandfather, but now Micah’s grandfather is dying. And if that wasn’t bad enough, his horrible great aunt has arrived to take care of him, cutting their limited time together further. But don’t worry all hope is not lost. When grandpa Ephraim was a child he visited the mysterious Circus Mirandus, where he was promised a miracle by the miraculous Man Who Bends Light. All Micah has to do is get a message to the Light Bender and his grandfather can have his miracle. With the help of Jenny Mendoza (the smartest girl in the class), Micah sets his sights on the circus, a task that requires unconditional love and faith. Aunt Gertrudis is wrong, Ephraim’s stories aren’t just stories ... are they?
This is children’s fiction at its best! Well written, easy to understand, fantastic characters, a well-thought-out plot, I could go on and on. Reading Circus Mirandus gave me the same sensation I felt when I picked up Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone - it goes straight to your heart. The story focuses on the importance of telling our children stories about magic and it is full of wonderful lessons of friendship, loyalty, bravery and, of course, love. I think children's stories are important for exactly those reasons and Cassie Beasley teaches them with flare. Mostly, and artfully, the story for me was about selflessness and the lengths people will go to help someone they love.
The relationship Micah has with his grandfather is touching, and at one point I may have shed a little tear. The addition of Jenny Mendoza, a girl who thinks there’s a logical explanation for everything, was a wonderful touch because if the circus can’t convince her about magic, there’s no hope left. The circus attractions were fabulous, with a collection of such wonderful characters that you’ll need to read to experience for yourself. I don’t see how you could fail to love this story. It’s fantastical without being ridiculous, fun without being frantic and easy, without the sensation you’re being spoken down to.
Read it, read it now, then read it your kids and keep passing it down. It’s full of important things about magic we need to teach our children, and important lessons adults need reminding of too.
If you like the sound of this, try Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J K Rowling or if you’ve already read it ... well no harm reading it again, is there? You might also enjoy Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody.
Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley is in the Top Ten Books for Confident Readers 2015.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley at Amazon.com.
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