Zimmer, Tracie Vaughn. Floating Circus.
Bloomsbury see St. Martins, 2008, 198p, $16.95, 978-0-8234-2093-3
Life on an 1850’s river showboat is presented through the eyes of eleven-year-old Owen, who has run away from an orphanage. Exciting action, friendship, family and growing up are all themes in this quick read book.
Eleven-year-old Owen, delivered by his mother to an orphanage when she can no longer take care of him and his brother, strikes out on his own believing that his younger brother will have a better chance on the Orphan Train without him. Wandering the streets of Pittsburgh, Owen sneaks aboard the showboat River Palace. There he finds work and a new kind of family, especially a baby elephant and freed black jack-of–all-trades, Solomon. Owen finds many dangers – mauling by a lion, yellow fever, storms and fugitive slave catchers.
A quick read with excitement, pathos, loss, survival and hope. This introduces the reader to a little know slice of American history when showboats plied the rivers bringing shows, which included the circus. There is an author’s note about the history behind the fictionalized story.
Great for upper elementary and middle school both as historical fiction and rousing good read. JT
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