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Sawdust and Spangles: The Amazing Life of W.C. Coup
The first book by beloved children’s musician Ralph Covert and esteemed playwright G. Riley Mills
Many years ago there lived a little boy with big dreams who ran away with the circus. William Cameron Coup fell in love with the big top and later became one of the most famous circus leaders of all time. But Coup also had another to create a different kind of circus . . .underwater! And so he built the great New York Aquarium—the likes of which had never been seen before!
Grammy-nominated children’s musician Ralph Covert and award-winning playwright G. Riley Mills have crafted a remarkable slice of Americana, illustrated by celebrated artist Giselle Potter. Complete with tightrope-walking elephants, bearded ladies, and side-splitting clowns, Sawdust and Spangles tells the real story of a man who made all his dreams come true and whose life was as extraordinary as the spectacle he created.
Praise for Ralph Covert
“One of the freshest, funniest, most original new kids’ artists out there” — Family Fun
“Covert fearlessly dives into the issues of our day, like imaginary friends and building blocks.”— Time Out New York “Welcome to a realm where the nursery rhymes and rhythms appeal to both kids and adults.”— St. Louis Post-Dispatch “Clever and often poignant world”— Los Angeles Times
Praise for Giselle Potter’s works
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award winner
Children’s Literature Choice List
Bank Street College Best Books
Publishers Weekly Best Books
CCBC Choices
“Gorgeous, folk-arty watercolors . . .” — Newsweek
“Potter’s soft, bright paintings feature stylized figures reminiscent of folk art that reinforce the nostalgic feel of the text.” — Kirkus /
Many years ago there lived a little boy with big dreams who ran away with the circus. William Cameron Coup fell in love with the big top and later became one of the most famous circus leaders of all time. But Coup also had another to create a different kind of circus . . .underwater! And so he built the great New York Aquarium—the likes of which had never been seen before!
Grammy-nominated children’s musician Ralph Covert and award-winning playwright G. Riley Mills have crafted a remarkable slice of Americana, illustrated by celebrated artist Giselle Potter. Complete with tightrope-walking elephants, bearded ladies, and side-splitting clowns, Sawdust and Spangles tells the real story of a man who made all his dreams come true and whose life was as extraordinary as the spectacle he created.
Praise for Ralph Covert
“One of the freshest, funniest, most original new kids’ artists out there” — Family Fun
“Covert fearlessly dives into the issues of our day, like imaginary friends and building blocks.”— Time Out New York “Welcome to a realm where the nursery rhymes and rhythms appeal to both kids and adults.”— St. Louis Post-Dispatch “Clever and often poignant world”— Los Angeles Times
Praise for Giselle Potter’s works
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award winner
Children’s Literature Choice List
Bank Street College Best Books
Publishers Weekly Best Books
CCBC Choices
“Gorgeous, folk-arty watercolors . . .” — Newsweek
“Potter’s soft, bright paintings feature stylized figures reminiscent of folk art that reinforce the nostalgic feel of the text.” — Kirkus /
- GenresPicture BooksBiography
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2007
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 22, 2020
The book is a biography of the circus leader W.C. Coup. I found it to be a very interesting biography because it told the life of W.C. Coup from his young life up until he was older. I loved the colors that was added in the book because it helped the book keep me engaged. The realistic illustrations were fitting considering that the book was a biography. It was nice to see an author that didn’t dumb down words for the young children reading this because it shows the confidence in the reader’s ability to understand the information that is being provided. Although I wish that the ending was different I think it was a good ending because it switched it up in the format that biographies are told. The ending also left me wanting to know more about W.C. Coup which I think would be good to use in the classroom since it could spark curiosity to know more about W.C. Coup.
June 5, 2019
3.5- Interesting biography. It led me to do more research on my own... W. C. Coup teamed up with P. T. Barnum and his circus for a while, and since the movie "The Greatest Showman" recently came out, I wondered if Coup was mentioned in that movie. He's not.
After taking the circus on the road (or should I say railroad), Coup takes his business in another direction and makes an aquarium. Again, I found myself looking up pictures of some of the creatures he was able to put in his latest entertainment complex. The author's note at the end gives more detail at what happens after the point where the authors chose to end the book. Very interesting. I wish there had been a picture of the real Coup for us to see.
After taking the circus on the road (or should I say railroad), Coup takes his business in another direction and makes an aquarium. Again, I found myself looking up pictures of some of the creatures he was able to put in his latest entertainment complex. The author's note at the end gives more detail at what happens after the point where the authors chose to end the book. Very interesting. I wish there had been a picture of the real Coup for us to see.
October 27, 2012
What a delight to watch W. C. Coup's fascinating life unfold from that first burst of attraction to a traveling circus, which in his youth compelled him to run off with a circus troupe that performed in his rural Indiana farm town, through his rise to fame as an extraordinary circus leader, and then onward to creating a series of extraordinary entertainments, including the famous New York Aquarium. Coup was a consummate entrepreneur who possessed a supreme talent for knowing how to entertain the masses.
July 7, 2011
In picture book format we are presented with the life of William Cameron Coup. A boy who longed for adventure and a man always search for a bigger dream. Like most boys, William got his start in show business by running away to join the circus
Read my full review at my blog The Non Fiction Manifesto: http://non-fic-manifesto.blogspot.com...
Read my full review at my blog The Non Fiction Manifesto: http://non-fic-manifesto.blogspot.com...
February 15, 2015
Prior to reading this book, I had never heard of W.C. Coup, the man who came up with the idea of a circus train and created the first public aquarium. The pace of the story will keep readers engaged and elementary students will be intrigued by Coup's unusual life and many accomplishments.
February 8, 2008
For Circus Tales
July 28, 2013
Bright, old-fashioned folk art pictures bring to life the story of a man who followed his dream and became a pioneer in the circus world.
April 18, 2017
“Damn everything but the circus!" ~ E. E. Cummings
Presenting the colorful tale of W. C. Coup, a boy who ran away to join the circus, and wound up owning one. We learn of his partnership with P. T. Barnum, and his implementation of the circus train. It is indeed a sugar-coated biography, and paints a very different picture of circus life than Water for Elephants. But, this is for children, so . . . on with the show.
As always, Giselle Potter's artwork is center ring.
Presenting the colorful tale of W. C. Coup, a boy who ran away to join the circus, and wound up owning one. We learn of his partnership with P. T. Barnum, and his implementation of the circus train. It is indeed a sugar-coated biography, and paints a very different picture of circus life than Water for Elephants. But, this is for children, so . . . on with the show.
As always, Giselle Potter's artwork is center ring.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews