The Clown-Arounds

The Clown-Arounds #1

by Joanna Cole

The Clown-Arounds are no ordinary family. They take baths with seals, eat pies at every meal, and walk through the park on stilts. In an off-beat, zany tale this wacky family wins the perfect prize--a trip to the circus. Full-color illustrations.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

48 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1981

About the author

Joanna Cole, who also wrote under the pseudonym B. J. Barnet, was an author of children’s books who teaches science.

She is most famous as the author of The Magic School Bus series of children's books. Joanna Cole wrote over 250 books ranging from her first book Cockroach to her famous series Magic School Bus.

Cole was born in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby East Orange. She loved science as a child, and had a teacher she says was a little like Ms. Frizzle. She attended the University of Massachusetts and Indiana University before graduating from the City College of New York with a B.A. in psychology. After some graduate education courses, she spent a year as a librarian in a Brooklyn elementary school. Cole subsequently became a letters correspondent at Newsweek, and then a senior editor for Doubleday Books for Young Readers.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did choose to read this and I know I don't like Clowns, so my rating probably isn't fair. If you do like clowns, then you might enjoy this and you won't think it's in the horror genre, but to me Clowns are terrifying and so even though this is for beginning children, it's a horror show for me.

I just thought I would check it out. It's cute, but it's about a clown family and just how they live. This was before Stephen King's IT and Poltergeist, both of which made clowns villains. This book tries to make them individuals and being able to live out who you are, which is a great message, in a scary package.

The kids taking showers and baths was supposed to be funny and playful, but it was a nightmare looking page. I guess I would avoid this if you are me and don't like clowns. If you are still a clown fan, then give this strange little ditty a read.

[Thera Grady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved these books when I was a kid. So funny and sweet at the same time.

[cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, another childhood book, but prevalent to me now because I like to call my students 'clown-arounds'. No one gets it.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite childhood books! I absolutely LOVE it!!!!!!!

[jenn reads fiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, another fave!!!!!!

[J.R. Holeton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved these books in the 80s when I was growing up, I think I still have them somewhere...I want to contact Joanna Cole and ask her I could produce it into a Video series.

[Terri Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute story of a family of clowns and how they cooperate with one another in trying to win a contest.

[Kameron Gentry · Rating 5 out of 5]

My all time favorite childhood book. Everytime I visited my Nan she would read this to me.

[Rick Christiansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book. Remember it as a kid being awesome. 5 stars if it is 1990 for sure lol

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

My absolute favorite childhood book! Incredibly vibrant, colorful artwork. An amazing book.

[Mariana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is literally the best book I've ever read in my entire life!!

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Clown-Arounds books were probably my favorite books when I was a lil one.