The Quirks in Circus Quirkus

November 15, 2013
A family with diverse magical powers gains a surprise ally in this sequel to Welcome to Normal (2013). Though Soderberg continues to play the Quirks' plight as a sitcom, readers are less likely to chuckle than wince at their behavior. Forced to move 26 times for fear of exposure in the nearly 10 years since twins Molly and Penelope were born, the family's efforts to settle quietly in Normal are complicated both by an obsessively snoopy neighbor, Mrs. DeVille, and by their own strong tendency to abuse their powers. Five-year-old bad boy Finn, for instance, takes advantage of his selective invisibility to play annoying pranks and to steal from Mrs. DeVille, while scatterbrained mother Bree keeps her job as a waitress by controlling customers' minds. Fortunately and as before, the supposedly ungifted Molly works her own brand of magic: She cleverly reins Finn in, keeps her neurotic sister (whose every mental image becomes real, willy-nilly) distracted and even convinces a TV news crew that there is nothing more notable about the Quirks than their backyard circus. And, rather than being the villain she seems, Mrs. DeVille turns out to be the sort who (literally) winks at the Quirks'...quirks. More episodic catastrophes without lasting consequences, in a tale that shares a premise with, but bears only a superficial resemblance to, Ingrid Law's brilliant Savvy (2008). (illustrations not seen) (Light fantasy. 8-10)

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May 1, 2014

Gr 2-4-In this follow-up to Welcome to Normal (Bloomsbury, 2013), Penelope, Molly, and Finn are still struggling not just to fit in but also to hide their family's secret quirks. Finn, for example, can only be seen by others when he is chewing bubble gum. Nervous Penelope lets her overactive imagination come to life, literally, at times, and their Mom has superpowers of persuasion. Grandpa Quirk can rewind time, and Gran flits in and out as a tiny fairy. Only Molly seems to have no special quirk of her own, although she is immune to her families' unique traits. When the circus comes to town and challenges the local students to a participation contest, everyone is thrilled except Molly and Penelope. They are afraid that their cranky next door neighbor, Mrs. DeVille, is spying on them while they practice circus stunts in the backyard. Has she discovered their secret quirks? Molly is determined to figure out a way to prevent the woman from learning the truth about her family, because she doesn't want to move again. The Quirks have lived in 27 different towns in just under 10 years, thanks to people discovering their unique "talents." Molly and Penelope's desire to fit in rings true, especially in their fourth-grade class. The story develops easily and quickly as readers get to know the characters. Black-and-white illustrations scattered throughout lend comical flair. Fans of Mary Pope Osborne's "Magic Tree House" series (Random) who are ready for longer texts might appreciate the quirkiness of the Quirks.-Lisa Kropp, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY

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