Peter Spier's Circus

August 31, 1992
Through his trademark, meticulous attention to detail, Caldecott winner Spier ( Noah's Ark ) not only spotlights a sensational circus extravaganza, but also examines its many elaborate components--from the various staff members' arrival in town to preparations for the big show itself to the packing up to move on to the tour's next stop. Spier's prose ranges from his terse opening (``Setting up: a crew of 32 men and women. Riggers, mechanics, carpenters, plumbers, and electricians . . . 14 acres of canvas . . . 100 miles of ropes and wires . . . '') to his easygoing, witty description of a bald animal trainer (``Austrian Mr. Bauer takes a bow with his llamas. They have more hair than he does!''). More consistent are his colorfully cluttered portrayals of the circus goings-on--behind the scenes as well as under the big top. This deservedly lauded author puts on a spectacle that is the next best thing to having front-row seats on the center ring. Ages 5-9.

January 1, 1993
PreS-Gr 1- In the spirit of Peter Spier's Rain (1982) and Peter Spier's Christmas (1983, both Doubleday), this premier illustrator offers a glorious new treat. As the Circus McNulty rolls into town, readers see an empty field transformed into a miniature village, with a one-room school housed in a trailer truck; a vet who checks all the animals before the performance; and an international troupe of trainers, clowns, and acrobats. After the players have been introduced, it's showtime: trick riders; trained seals, bears and lions; plate spinners; and the human cannonball. Even the intermission has its joys. "But all good things must come to an end . . . " As the cars slowly bump their way out, the cleanup crew is hard at work; and six hours later the field is left once again to the rabbits. The focus here is on the pictures, of course, with the breezy text serving more as captions than story. Spier's familiar blues and greens are used to great effect in the moonlit double spreads of the elephants parading to and from the train, and bright splashes of red and yellow in smaller, cartoon pictures that break up the pages. He has a sharp eye for the kind of detail young readers like. Better suited for individual reading than for storytimes, this will be a great addition to the always-sparse selection of circus books, and children will undoubtedly want to pore over it. Buy lots-you'll need them! -Caroline Parr, Central Rappahannock Regional Library, Fredericksburg, VA

November 1, 1992
Ages 4-8. Beginning with a billboard heralding the Circus McNulty, this lively picture book details what happens when the circus comes to town: the setting up, rehearsal, performance, striking, and setting out again for the next town. The text is often interesting, occasionally tedious, and mainly serves as a voice-over for the main attraction--Spier's artwork. Visually oriented kids will enjoy the detailed ink-and-watercolor paintings showing expected acts under the big top as well as circus families in their mobile homes and stores, in the computerized office on wheels, and in the schoolroom trailer. While teachers and librarians looking for a circus book to read aloud will probably reach for Ehlert's more succinct "Circus", Spier provides a satisfying picture book for children who want to spend a little time imagining the circus while poring over the illustrations at their own pace. ((Reviewed Nov. 1, 1992))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1992, American Library Association.)