The Bonaventure Adventures

March 15, 2017
A boy attends circus school to learn enough to save his family's circus. Twelve-year-old Sebastian Kostantinov, only son of ringmaster Dragan Kostantinov, seemingly has no circus talent at all--he can't juggle, ride unicycles, do acrobatics, or swing on a trapeze. He can't even manage to be a clown. He cares for the circus animals while they tour Eastern Europe until business falls off and the animals must be sold. Animals are old-school; newer circuses don't have them. Despite his lack of talent, Seb worms his way into an exclusive Montreal circus school in hopes that he can learn enough to put the family back in the black. He makes friends with two other misfits, Frankie, an Italian parkour specialist, and Banjo, a rustic slackliner. But the circus school itself is in financial straits and seems likely to close--so Seb and his friends plot to save it. Delaney writes smoothly, but her plot has some gaping holes. If the prestigious school carries a waitlist, why not admit more pupils who can pay full tuition? Instead they admit Seb on full scholarship with the odd hope that his presumably wealthy father will become a big donor. The boarding school scenes tread very familiar ground, and the circus acts never quite come alive. The principal cast appears to be white, and the school is not a notably diverse one. It's a fine friendship story but not a great one. (Fiction. 8-12)

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April 1, 2017
Gr 3-6-Young Sebastian Konstantinov's father is the ringmaster of a traveling circus. Seb journeys with his father and the circus all over Eastern Europe, though Seb lacks any natural circus talent. Ticket sales have been dismal lately, but the boy lands a full scholarship to the Bonaventure Circus School in Montreal. Bonaventure's directrice may be under the mistaken impression that Seb is a circus prodigy, but Seb believes that he can help make his father's show more marketable if he learns the ways of the modern circus. What he does not realize until he arrives is that Bonaventure is under significant financial strain. Now Seb and his two new friends must find a way to save their school and avoid being expelled. The protagonist is a forward thinker who understands that fresh ideas keep audiences interested in the performing arts. The bonds of friendship among the band of misfits are forged gradually and convincingly. Significantly, Seb sometimes struggles to balance his needs as an introvert with those of his friends. The resolution is a bit abrupt but satisfying nonetheless. The still-mysterious identity of Seb's mother and Seb's invitation to apply for a second year at Bonaventure leave ample room for a sequel. VERDICT Recommend to circus lovers; purchase where circus-set fiction is popular.-Sara White, Seminole County Public Library, Casselberry, FL

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2017
Grades 4-7 Twelve-year-old Sebastian ( Seb ) has grown up in a traveling circus founded by his father, ringmaster Dragan Konstantinov. Everyone assumed that Seb would inherit Dragan's incredible aerial abilities, but it has become increasingly evident that Seb has no circus talent at all. Even so, he loves the life, but dwindling crowds may spell the end of the Konstantinov Family Circus. In desperation, Seb applies to Montreal circus school Bonaventure Academy in hopes of learning how to revitalize his father's failing show. Delaney takes a realistic approach to the circusno magic or curiosities hereproving it's quite enthralling in its own right. At the story's heart is Seb's personal journey to find his true talent, something made possible with the help of a kind teacher and new friends Banjo (a slackline performer) and Frankie (parkour aficionado). Delaney deftly juggles themes of friendship, personal growth, and tradition versus modernization within a well-paced narrative. The friends' adventures around the school located in an old cathedral and suspicions that Bonaventure might be in trouble make for a captivating read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)