The Great and Only Barnum : the Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P. T. Barnum
Candace Fleming
Did you know that P. T. Barnum — the “Barnum” in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus — didn’t become involved with circuses until he was 60 years old? Did you know that one of Barnum’s nicknames was “the Prince of Humbugs”? And did you know that Barnum would have been a millionaire by today’s standards even though he watched his homes and businesses crumble under numerous fires, and he even once had to declare bankruptcy?
Born Phineas Taylor Barnum, the showman spent most of his life, from a young age until his death, figuring out ways to entertain others: by making them think, laugh, and participate in the vast wonders of the word. He was a great businessman and worked hard for mostly all that he had. He knew how to take advantage of situations and of people’s emotions and natural curiosities in order to make a few dollars in his favor. He may have cheated a time or two, but it was always for the greater good because people almost always left his presence in a happy state of mind. From elephants, an exhibit with a little old lady (was she really George Washington’s nursemaid?!), and a friend named Tom Thumb, to the still world-famous three ring circus with acrobats, clowns, and all sorts of animals (including the elephants), P. T. Barnum truly knew how to put on the Greatest Show on Earth.
Recommended to readers of all ages!
Heart of a Shepherd
Rosanne Parry
In Malheur County, Oregon, you’re either a soldier or a rancher, and both have their downfalls. When Brother’s dad gets his orders, along with his entire 87th Transportation Battalion, to go to Iraq, it’s up to Brother and his grandparents to make sure that everything on the ranch runs smoothly. Brother has four brothers (which is how he came to be called just “Brother”) but they are all older and away at school with their own lives. Grandpa is tough, but he’s old, and Brother feels like most of the responsibility is on his shoulders. So while he’s trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life, and worrying about whether or not there’s an email from Dad that day, he’s also pretty busy trying to take care of all of the animals and people and land in his life.
This is an endearing tale of a quiet life, unfamiliar to many, and it fits perfectly alongside the story of Brother, who is contemporary and real and strong. This book is recommended to everyone – young and old, rancher, soldier, and clergyman. It will break your heart and then lift you up all in one grand swoop.
The Rock and the River
Kekla Magoon
Thirteen-year-old Sam and older brother Stick are the sons of civil rights activist, Roland Childs, who is well-known for his work with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and their commitment to nonviolence. The Childs family is pretty well-off, but they live in Chicago, a socially diverse community, and many of the black kids who go to school with Sam are caught up in trying to improve conditions for themselves and their families. And even those who aren’t politically-inclined are still living with many of the consequences of their race. Sam’s brother Stick is increasingly frustrated with how black people are treated, and when their friend Bucky is arrested for assaulting a white police officer (despite the eye-witness account from Sam that Bucky is innocent), Stick and his friends just can’t let the injustice go unanswered. Ignoring his father’s plea for nonviolence, Stick believes more firmly in the Black Panthers’ methods of standing up for themselves. Sam is caught in between loyalty to his brother and respect for his dad, and ultimately he realizes that he must find is own path – he can’t be both the rock AND the river.
Told from Sam’s point of view, the reader travels the distance from innocence to experience, and discovers that experience necessitates both losses and gains. The background information about the civil rights movement of 1968 and the development of the Black Panther Party becomes timeless in Kekla Magoon’s careful descriptions (including a short author’s note), and most readers will learn something as they get involved with the characters in the story.
Recommended to all middle grade readers, including those who might not think the topic sounds interesting – once you get this story started, you might not want it to end so soon.
Katherine Vasilik, Teen Librarian
Franklin Lakes (NJ) Public Library
tel: 201-891-2224 x105
fax: 201-891-5102
email: vasilik@bccls.org or kate_thelibrarian@yahoo.com
blog: katethelibrarian.blogspot.com
President, NJLA Young Adult Section