Circus Mirandus

This was a great story. I read it aloud to my kids (12 and 9) and they begged for another chapter most nights. When it was over, they begged for the sequel.The characters were great; Micah is well rounded and felt natural for his age. The themes dealt with were big ones. One that stood out to me was love for your neighbor and the consequences of doing so (or not). There's joy, struggle, good humor, and a bit of the miraculous. Highly recommend.If the author sees this: thank you so much. I hope you continue to write.Highly, highly recommend

Circus Mirandus by Cassie BeasleyI got to see the first few chapters on Netgalley as a sneak peek and after tearing through the preview I ordered this book. It arrived and the cover is just as fun as what is inside the book. Peek through the cutout cover and see a world of wonder. Our main character is Micah. His grandfather Ephram once got an invitation to attend the Circus Mirandus for a week. While there he witnessed magic and it transported him for a little while away from the turmoil of living during WWII. Ephram’s favorite attraction was the Light Bender. A man who could pull anything from your imagination and make it real, even if only for a moment. Ephram did something then that earned him a miracle, and now it is time for him to collect that miracle. Because Ephram is dying and he has one last wish, all he needs is the Light Bender to come and grant it. Micah is the type of hero I love. In a wonderful Cinderella story, if Cinderella was a Prince instead of a princess, Micah has just a few days to convince the Light Bender and the members of this magical circus to help his grandfather. Because Grandpa Ephram only has a few days left and Micah needs that miracle to come true. Micah will fight with his new best friend for that miracle and discover what Grandpa Ephram’s last wish is. Because sometimes what we really want isn't what we really need.This is a story that takes place in a kind of any-town USA, and features a great cast of characters. There are bad guys, good guys, magic, school, a brilliant elephant, and a wise cracking parrot. I read this in one short sitting, and the end left me with a smile. While there is room for a sequel, the end of the story does not leave you hanging. If you read The Vampire’s Assistant and loved the beginning of the series but found the ending unsettling and unsatisfying, this story is for you. This is classic escapism fantasy and if your child likes that kind of story, I recommend this story for you. A great story for boys and girls, dreamers and adventurers.The next part contains spoilers so Don't read if you don't want to know:Parental Note: For the age range, not a whole lot. There is a death in the story and it is handled well for the target age range. The Aunt is borderline abusive, and while her reason for being so mean is explained about two thirds of the way through, it still does not excuse her horrible behavior.

Stories about kids staying young abound (for example, "Peter Pan," "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,"), but this is a new approach. Grandpa Ephraim enthralls Micah with his tales of the circus, as well as teaching him knot tying skills. Micah doesn't realize how talented he is at first, but the reader does. Can you imagine spelling people's names or creating their likeness by tying knots in a certain way? Grandpa Ephraim is grooming Micah with stories and skills for the day when he cannot be present to guide his grandson any more. When Micah gets to visit the circus for the first time, he is mesmerized with the variety of talented performers. His enthusiasm is enough to help his only friend, who possesses way too much common sense, finally see the magic, too. I especially like the ending. All along, it becomes more apparent that Micah has to escape from his Aunt Gertrudis' mean supervision and join the Circus, but how he does it is original. There are problems at every step for Micah and his friend to solve; he with his powerful belief in magic and Jenny with a heavy dose of logic. Micah's strong belief in his grandpa and in magic carries the reader along with him.

One word: amazing. I read this to my girls (ages 13, 11, and 6) for a homeschool read aloud. I’m not one to enjoy most “kid books”, but this book was just amazing. It has so much emotion, such vivid imagery, and likable characters. It opened up great conversation with my kids throughout the story. It was sad, inspiring, and of course magical! I felt like I could actually see Circus Mirandus through the words of the author. My three girls enjoyed it immensely as well. They didn’t want it to end and asked if there was a sequel as soon as we finished it. So many kids books today use potty humor and portray families disrespecting each other.....it was so nice to see none of that in this book. No name calling, no rude children. A breath of fresh air!

My son who is 11 received this for a Christmas present. He is not a big reader. For his mandatory reading for school, he is always asking has it been 25 min? He literally wants to read the bare minimum of time,however, not with this book. He finished it on his own, without any prompting. I found him picking up the book and wanting to read....I'm not sure this has ever happened with him. He kept saying how good the book was and he loved it. He finished it on his own in just a couple of days....because he couldn't put it down. This alone gave the book 5 stars from me.

I brought this for my daughter to read but started to read it myself and got so into it I couldn't put it down. The story is magical, emotional, heart-warming and you won't want it to end. A big recommendation.

One of the best books so far I love how they kept us at the edge of our seats to *spoiler*to... find out what the miracle is.The only reason it isn’t 5s star is because it felt like I was only reading it for one hour.

Great book!

It tells me that I can be anything I want and be free even when bad things are happening in my life, Charlie aged 10. Please write another one.

Love this