The Floating Circus

julcla - This review is not for this book but for another book that Tracie Vaughn Zimmer wrote called Reaching For Sun.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Have you ever thought about what it would be like to be disabled? In the book Reaching For Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer Josie Wyatt knows what it's like. In the book Josie is the protagonist and antagonist. Josie is different than all the other kids at school, she has a disability called cerebral palsy, her disability is also one of the major conflicts in the book. Josie just wants to have friends and join in on the fun. She wants to be normal. Josie lives with her mom and gran (grandmother) in a farmhouse that has been in the family for years. Josie's grandmother has been forced to sell some of their land due to their shortage of money and with the huge mansions being built behind their house it now seems even smaller. Things seem to just get worse and worse for Josie. But when a boy her age moves into one of the houses being built behind her house things start to look better for Josie. This book takes place during her 7th grade school year at Josie's house, school, and occasionally the nursing home that she and her gran visit. Another major conflict in the book is when the new boy Jordan moves into one of the new houses. The turning point in the book is when Josie stands up to her mom and tells her how she feels. If you're looking for a short read or just a good book then I recommend reading it!

July 28, 2008
A circus boat in the 1850s is the offbeat setting for Zimmer's (Reaching for Sun
) lively historical novel. Readers will be hooked from the start by the voice of the narrator, Owen, first met in a Pittsburgh orphanage as he describes the difference between him and his younger brother, Zach: “Right follows Zach like a shadow, but wrong wears me like a skin.” Wanting the best for Zach, Owen runs away when, just before the two are put aboard an orphan train, Owen learns that Zach will have a much better chance of being adopted without a brother; from this chaotic beginning, Owen stumbles upon Solomon, a former slave, who brings him aboard the circus boat and gets him a job. As the boat travels south, Owen's awareness of slavery grows in a way that feels organic to the story. Historical details, such as the workings of a printing press, give readers a deeper taste of the era, and animal lovers will especially enjoy Zimmer's portrayal of the circus elephant that Owen comes to know. Bittersweet and satisfying. Ages 8–12.

October 1, 2008
Gr 4-7-In 1853 Pittsburgh, Owen Burke, 13, and his younger brother are abandoned by their widowed mother. Soon the boys are on an orphan train that will ostensibly take them to a better life on a farm. Owen jumps off and finds his way to a circus boat. Befriended by Solomon, an elderly former slave, the boy is given work mucking the animals' stalls and keeping the boat clean. He feels loyal to his mentor and develops a trustful relationship with Little Bet, an elephant. The boy is also taken under the wing of Mr. Greene, who runs the print shop and whose son, Caleb, becomes a surrogate younger brother. A sudden turn of events includes a yellow fever outbreak in New Orleans, a storm that forces the end of the "River Palace" circus, the sale of Solomon despite his "free papers," and an appearance by the famous clown Dan Rice, who buys Little Bet. While Owen agrees to join Rice, he also receives an offer to move with Caleb and his family to Philadelphia as their stable boy, learns that his brother has been adopted and is back in Pittsburgh, and determines to find and free Solomon. Although Owen seems more insightful than a 13-year-old is likely to be, his engaging narration moves along at a satisfying pace, and the door is left open for a sequel."Sheila Fiscus, Our Lady of Peace School, Erie, PA"

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