Long Road to the Circus

Readers will find Suzy an engaging protagonist, feeling simultaneously thoroughly contemporary and classic in a story whose narrative arc is well-crafted . . . A wonderful character piece

This unconventional tale is a hoot and an encouraging call to live an adventurous life on one's own terms.

In this spirited historical adventure set in 1920, tenacious 12-year-old narrator Suzy Bowles longs for a life beyond her farm in small-town Burr Oak, Mich., and finds purpose under the tutelage of a former circus queen. Using a colloquial first-person narration, Bird (The Great Santa Stakeout) effectively portrays Suzy's longing for a larger life, and her curiosity as she follows her recently returned, purportedly "deadbeat" uncle Fred to his secret job with the nearby Madame Marantette, a former circus performer who is attempting to train her ostrich Gaucho to pull a carriage alongside a horse. Tension and comedy escalate as Suzy volunteers to ride cantankerous Gaucho, and Madame invites Suzy to weekly teas for lessons in comportment. Caldecott Medalist Small's expressive, humorous b&w illustrations infuse the narrative with further personality. All characters cue as white, and an author's note chronicles the life of the actual Madame Marantette who inspired the novel. Ages 10-up. Author's agent: Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management. Illustrator's agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Oct.)

Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

"With its timeless messages about big dreams and the beloved people who make them possible, Long Road to the Circus takes you there. It is — sorry not sorry — a brass ring to grab with both hands."—The New York Times

"Do not read this book unless you are planning to run away and join the circus. Beautifully told by one of our best librarians. And just as beautifully, and inevitably, illustrated by David Small." —Jon Scieszka, The First National Ambassador of Young People's Literature

"Who wouldn't jump at the chance to ride an ostrich?! This is a grand, classic tale of finding one's own weird way through the world. Suzy—and her feathered friend, Gaucho—will become lifelong companions of the reader lucky enough to spend time with them." —Eliot Schrefer, New York Times bestselling author

"What a cheer-worthy, galloping, heartfelt adventure! Suzy and Madame are my new inspirations. It is indeed a long road to the circus, but worth every step." —Catherine Gilbert Murdock, Newbery Honor-Winning author of The Book of Boy and the bestselling Dairy Queen series

"An appealing main character and a quirky plot make this historical novel a page-turner. By the time kids reach the celebratory yet bittersweet ending, they'll appreciate that it takes hard work and determination to achieve goals." -Parents Magazine 

"Suzy's wry, folksy first-person narration should elicit plenty of giggles, and Small's striking pen-and-ink illustrations perfectly echo the text's energy and sense of whimsy. Bird's lighthearted, earnest romp is based on real people and events and encourages readers to seize opportunity tightly, even if it comes in a strange, long-necked package . . . [A] funny, heart-warming story of chasing one's dreams." —Shelf Awareness