The Show Must Go On! is the first book in a new series from Kate and M. Sarah Klise entitled Three-Ring Rascals. The stars of the story are the animals and performers of Sir Sidney’s Circus. Sir Sidney treats his animals like gold, and even lets kids into his circus for free. Unfortunately, he is getting old and tired, and he needs a helper to assist him in managing the circus. Enter Barnabas Brambles, certified lion tamer, who promises to bring new energy and vision to the circus. What he fails to mention is that he is a money-hungry tyrant who plans to double the number of performances, hike up the prices, and even sell some of the animals. Sid hires him for a trial of just one week - and only luck will keep the circus intact until Friday!
I have had mixed reactions to books by the Klises in the past. I loved Regarding the Fountain, but couldn’t get into any of its sequels, and though I read the first 43 Old Cemetery Road book I was never interested enough to read the later volumes. I did enjoy Kate Klise’s Homesick, but when I brought home Grounded, it went back to the library unread. I’m happy to say, though, that this new series is a winner, and I am hooked!
Though I would consider this to be an early middle grade book, rather than an early chapter book, it is a nice transitional novel for kids who are still somewhat reliant on visual cues. Using speech bubbles and illustrations to break up the text, the story is told through a satisfying blend of words and pictures. Though this book is not told entirely in documents as some of the Klises’ books are, there are plenty of scraps of paper, letters, notes, and other pieces of paper scattered throughout that relate important information to the reader in a fun and clever way. My favorite subtle joke is the fact that Barnabas’s lion taming degree is signed by “Macon Upaname.” I also like the fact that the same piece of paper showing the performances the circus is supposed to have for the week keeps appearing, showing updates as things go wrong and the plans change. This is a great way to help kids recall what has happened in the story so far.
This warmhearted book is a great choice for second through fourth graders who are easing out of chapter books and into novels. The sense of humor is just right for seven and eight year olds, and the word play and dialogue engage their growing senses of humor and their ever-improving facility with language. Kids who have enjoyed the Silver Street Farm books and Charlotte’s Web will enjoy getting to know this fun cast of animals and will root for them all week long as they survive a series of funny and unlikely circumstances under the rule of Barnabas Brambles.