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Circa Now
Twelve-year-old Circa Monroe has a knack for restoring old photographs. It's a skill she learned from her dad, who loves old pictures and putting fun digital twists on them. His altered "Shopt" photos look so real that they could fool nearly anybody, and Circa treasures the fun stories he makes up to explain each creation.
One day, her father receives a strange phone call requesting an urgent delivery, and he heads out into a storm. The unimaginable happens: a tornado, then a terrible accident. Just as Circa and her mom begin to pick up the pieces, a mysterious boy shows up on their doorstep, a boy called Miles who remembers nothing about his past. The only thing he has with him is the photograph that Circa's dad intended to deliver on the day he died.
As Circa tries to help Miles recover his identity, she begins to notice something strange about the photos she and her father retouched-the digital flourishes added to the old photos seem to exist in real life. The mysteries of the Shopt photos and Miles's past are intertwined, and in order to solve both, Circa will have to figure out what's real and what's an illusion.
One day, her father receives a strange phone call requesting an urgent delivery, and he heads out into a storm. The unimaginable happens: a tornado, then a terrible accident. Just as Circa and her mom begin to pick up the pieces, a mysterious boy shows up on their doorstep, a boy called Miles who remembers nothing about his past. The only thing he has with him is the photograph that Circa's dad intended to deliver on the day he died.
As Circa tries to help Miles recover his identity, she begins to notice something strange about the photos she and her father retouched-the digital flourishes added to the old photos seem to exist in real life. The mysteries of the Shopt photos and Miles's past are intertwined, and in order to solve both, Circa will have to figure out what's real and what's an illusion.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published May 27, 2014
13 people are currently reading
1421 people want to read
About the author
Amber McRee Turner
2 books30 followersAmber McRee Turner (www.ambermcreeturner.com) lives and writes in Germantown, Tennessee. She is a proud mother, a fan of Mary Poppins, and an easy laugher. This is her first book for children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
July 20, 2016
Random thoughts prior to review:
This was a very well done story that I think my students will really enjoy. It's real enough in itself, but has an air of paranormalcy that young readers will especially enjoy. Very well written, it is a story of love, loss, and healing through pictures, and I especially enjoyed the shopt aspect of the novel, and the photos and stories the author created to add another tangible, humorous layer to this story of heartache.
This was a very well done story that I think my students will really enjoy. It's real enough in itself, but has an air of paranormalcy that young readers will especially enjoy. Very well written, it is a story of love, loss, and healing through pictures, and I especially enjoyed the shopt aspect of the novel, and the photos and stories the author created to add another tangible, humorous layer to this story of heartache.
December 22, 2022
It's disappointing when a book makes promises it doesn't keep. It's fine if a storyline goes in another direction from where the author hints it will go, but that new direction has to be more satisfying than the initial promise. This one wasn't for me.
July 18, 2014
I tried to like this book, I really did. I’ve read so many glowing reviews from other teachers here on goodreads, all of whom thought it would definitely win a Newbery Medal or Honor next year, that I just had to read it to see for myself. I’m sorry to say, I just didn’t get it. It took me a week just to get through the first 75% of the book because I wasn’t connecting at all to the story or the characters and keep putting it down. Finally today I picked it back up and finished it. I will say that the last 25% was better than the first 75%, but that’s not saying much. Although the ending had some sweet moments and tied up a few loose ends, something new was introduced that just made me say, “Huh, what?”
Numerous times during the book Circa mentions that she is teased in school because of her name and also because she only has one pinkie finger. I kept waiting for the story about how she got her name. I mean, come on, there’s got to be a story about why someone’s parents would name their kid Circa. But nope, nothing, not one word. Hmm, okay, maybe we’ll learn then why she only has one pinkie finger, something Circa mentions at least 4 or 5 times during the course of the book. Was she born without the finger or was she involved in an accident that caused it? The author totally spaced out on that one too. I just wanted Circa to at least say something once to the effect of, “I was born missing one of my pinkie fingers”, or “I had an accident when I was two years old and…..”. I really dislike it when the author introduces something that needs to have a story behind it, but never gets around to telling the story. So because I was actually able to finish the book I will give it 3 stars, but unfortunately no recommendation.
Numerous times during the book Circa mentions that she is teased in school because of her name and also because she only has one pinkie finger. I kept waiting for the story about how she got her name. I mean, come on, there’s got to be a story about why someone’s parents would name their kid Circa. But nope, nothing, not one word. Hmm, okay, maybe we’ll learn then why she only has one pinkie finger, something Circa mentions at least 4 or 5 times during the course of the book. Was she born without the finger or was she involved in an accident that caused it? The author totally spaced out on that one too. I just wanted Circa to at least say something once to the effect of, “I was born missing one of my pinkie fingers”, or “I had an accident when I was two years old and…..”. I really dislike it when the author introduces something that needs to have a story behind it, but never gets around to telling the story. So because I was actually able to finish the book I will give it 3 stars, but unfortunately no recommendation.
May 30, 2014
As I read this book, a cherished memory from my past danced within. It was of my teenage self, meandering thru the Art Institute of Chicago, pausing in front of paintings and sculptures to soak in their ingenuity. I'd switch back and forth between the beautiful stories told by each piece, to the brilliance of the individual, minute brush strokes. I would return to the Art Institute numerous times, enamored by the indescribable talent of the creators.
As I walked along side the story of Circa and Miles, I continually paused, in no hurry to finish the tale, but instead to savor the ingenuity of the plot twists, and the beauty of exquisitely crafted sentences. This was a delightful tale of family, of courage, and of thens and nows.
As I walked along side the story of Circa and Miles, I continually paused, in no hurry to finish the tale, but instead to savor the ingenuity of the plot twists, and the beauty of exquisitely crafted sentences. This was a delightful tale of family, of courage, and of thens and nows.
June 9, 2014
It's really hard to write a review for a book as good as Circa Now. This is one of those books I slowed down to read, trying to make it last as long as I could.
It was a fantastic story. I loved the concept of reality mixing with fantasy. While it was a sad story, it was also one of hope. Circa was a lovely main character - one you would want to know in "real life".
Turner did a fantastic job writing this book. I loved the way she intertwined the parts of the story.
Loved.
My favorite line, "Thank you for the thens, she thought. And thank you for the now." pg 265
It was a fantastic story. I loved the concept of reality mixing with fantasy. While it was a sad story, it was also one of hope. Circa was a lovely main character - one you would want to know in "real life".
Turner did a fantastic job writing this book. I loved the way she intertwined the parts of the story.
Loved.
My favorite line, "Thank you for the thens, she thought. And thank you for the now." pg 265
June 23, 2014
Such an interesting and unique work. Loved the surprise ending and the contents of the Shopt folder. Middle graders love a character their age who takes control and triumphs and Circa certainly does that. Hard subject matter handled with great sensitivity. Quirky but very believable characters. And there's even a mysterious dog. My kind of book!
April 1, 2014
This is one of the most cleverly written books that I've read in a while. It couldn't put it down after reading the first chapter. I would recommend this book to anyone.
June 28, 2014
This book came highly recommended for good reason! What a creative story! I just loved Circa and Miles. What a wonderful story of hope in the face of tragedy.
April 12, 2015
What a sweet and sad story all mushed up together.
July 18, 2018
One of the most likeable characters I've encountered in many books and made me feel like I was reading a second cousin of To Kill a Mockingbird. The sense of sudden grief that is thrust upon Circa and her mom and the mysterious arrival of Miles instantly drew me in, as well as the sense of place, memory and Maple Grove. While I understand that Circa's grief drives her to believe in the magical powers of Shopt, I felt the book itself was undecided as to which direction it would go toward and the entire magical element showed up so late in the story that it felt forced and rushed. That being said, the power of this book is in the healing that unfolds between Circa, her mom, and Miles. A good read.
April 22, 2021
Such a precious young adult novel with an adorably intricate plot. You'll fall in love with Circa, not because her character is actually that well developed but because even her minor flaws are somewhat endearing.
Anyone can relate to loss & grief. The book successfully depicts both in an age-appropriate way for young adults. There's an element of parental depression that begins before grief & continues after. Infertility is talked about in a way that children could understand & use to better comprehend the pain that can bring.
The mystery & thrill of magic & powers was a really exciting piece to the story, even as a 25 year old! It was remarkably difficult to predict & took me on some twists & turns that I could absolutely not have guessed.
Anyone can relate to loss & grief. The book successfully depicts both in an age-appropriate way for young adults. There's an element of parental depression that begins before grief & continues after. Infertility is talked about in a way that children could understand & use to better comprehend the pain that can bring.
The mystery & thrill of magic & powers was a really exciting piece to the story, even as a 25 year old! It was remarkably difficult to predict & took me on some twists & turns that I could absolutely not have guessed.
May 3, 2019
I loved this book. If you love mysteries, and jaw-droppers this is the perfect book for you.
December 30, 2019
3.5 stars
December 31, 2022
I thought it would go in a different direction, but that is ok. I did like some of it. Creative idea for the plot.
July 1, 2014
Kirkus Reviews (April 15, 2014)
Circa, 11, and her father have nearly always engaged in a clever game they call Shopt. Since his job is restoring old photos using Photoshop, the game is a natural. He inserts unexpected objects into conventional images and then crafts funny stories to explain the bizarre photos--which, happily, are enticingly sprinkled throughout the novel. After he dies in a tragic accident, Circa's mother, who has been depressed for many years, has trouble coping--and Circa begins to encounter little clues that the Shopt images may contain a bit of magic. Do the pasted-in objects actually take on an existence of their own, and can that explain the sudden appearance at their doorstep of a young teen boy named Miles, who has no memory but a highly coincidental connection to her father's death? Or maybe Circa's just imagining the possibilities as she navigates the minefield of her own grief. She only gradually reveals her suspicions to Miles and her best friend, Nattie, who are just as tantalized as readers will be by the "fresh, sticky web of wonder" that accompanies the very chance of such magic. Sadly, it becomes clear that at least most of the coincidences can be explained by mundane reality, although there remains an alluring whiff of enchantment. Just a tinge of fantasy pervades this captivating tale of grief and acceptance and of the power of imagination. (Magical realism. 10-14)
Publishers Weekly (March 24, 2014)
Photography runs in 11-year-old Circa Monroe's family: her mother shoots portraits for a living, and her father is an expert at photo restoration. As a fun aside, he also creates "Shopt" images, Photoshopping unusual additions into pictures he's restoring, such as adding a baby, an oversize potato, and a bugle-playing beaver to an old photo of a family reunion. Circa is devastated when her father is killed in a deadly tornado strike, but a few weeks later, an amnesiac boy named Miles arrives on Circa's doorstep with a copy of her father's restored family reunion photo in his hand. Could Circa's father's Shopt images be magic, somehow able to make a Photoshopped baby become a real boy? Turner (Sway) offers a moving exploration of grief and an honest depiction of friends and family facing the hardest of times. Examples of Circa's father's altered images appear throughout the novel, with narrative captions that give the story a slight Miss Peregrine-meets-Harris Burdick atmosphere and add to its sense of mystery and possibility. Ages 8-12. Agent: Joanna Volpe, New Leaf Literary & Media. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
School Library Journal (April 1, 2014)
Gr 4-6-Teased at school, Circa is happiest in her family's photo studio, restoring photos on her father's computer. In one instant, it all changes when her dad is crushed to death by a tree during a tornado. Her father was the one who held together her mother during her bouts of deep depression; worked on a Memory Wall at the local home for dementia patients; and gave Circa a Shopt folder, a collection of silly photoshopped photos and accompanying stories. Soon after the fatal accident, the 12-year-old and her mother discover a teenage boy on their doorstep, covered with scars and holding the last picture her father worked on. He has no memory of any life before the storm, and they name him Miles. With a focus on finding out who this boy is and where he came from, her mother starts facing her anxiety and depression. Slowly, mother and daughter begin to heal with the addition of Miles in their lives. Though the premise of this book is unique, the chapters on Circa's life before the storm makes for a slow start. The inclusion of the photoshopped pictures throughout the text is clever and adds to the juxtaposition throughout the text of grief, sadness, and desperation, mixed with the laughter and happiness Circa feels about her new situation. Yet the characters seem distant instead of emotionally raw. An unusual story for a limited readership.-Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Circa, 11, and her father have nearly always engaged in a clever game they call Shopt. Since his job is restoring old photos using Photoshop, the game is a natural. He inserts unexpected objects into conventional images and then crafts funny stories to explain the bizarre photos--which, happily, are enticingly sprinkled throughout the novel. After he dies in a tragic accident, Circa's mother, who has been depressed for many years, has trouble coping--and Circa begins to encounter little clues that the Shopt images may contain a bit of magic. Do the pasted-in objects actually take on an existence of their own, and can that explain the sudden appearance at their doorstep of a young teen boy named Miles, who has no memory but a highly coincidental connection to her father's death? Or maybe Circa's just imagining the possibilities as she navigates the minefield of her own grief. She only gradually reveals her suspicions to Miles and her best friend, Nattie, who are just as tantalized as readers will be by the "fresh, sticky web of wonder" that accompanies the very chance of such magic. Sadly, it becomes clear that at least most of the coincidences can be explained by mundane reality, although there remains an alluring whiff of enchantment. Just a tinge of fantasy pervades this captivating tale of grief and acceptance and of the power of imagination. (Magical realism. 10-14)
Publishers Weekly (March 24, 2014)
Photography runs in 11-year-old Circa Monroe's family: her mother shoots portraits for a living, and her father is an expert at photo restoration. As a fun aside, he also creates "Shopt" images, Photoshopping unusual additions into pictures he's restoring, such as adding a baby, an oversize potato, and a bugle-playing beaver to an old photo of a family reunion. Circa is devastated when her father is killed in a deadly tornado strike, but a few weeks later, an amnesiac boy named Miles arrives on Circa's doorstep with a copy of her father's restored family reunion photo in his hand. Could Circa's father's Shopt images be magic, somehow able to make a Photoshopped baby become a real boy? Turner (Sway) offers a moving exploration of grief and an honest depiction of friends and family facing the hardest of times. Examples of Circa's father's altered images appear throughout the novel, with narrative captions that give the story a slight Miss Peregrine-meets-Harris Burdick atmosphere and add to its sense of mystery and possibility. Ages 8-12. Agent: Joanna Volpe, New Leaf Literary & Media. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
School Library Journal (April 1, 2014)
Gr 4-6-Teased at school, Circa is happiest in her family's photo studio, restoring photos on her father's computer. In one instant, it all changes when her dad is crushed to death by a tree during a tornado. Her father was the one who held together her mother during her bouts of deep depression; worked on a Memory Wall at the local home for dementia patients; and gave Circa a Shopt folder, a collection of silly photoshopped photos and accompanying stories. Soon after the fatal accident, the 12-year-old and her mother discover a teenage boy on their doorstep, covered with scars and holding the last picture her father worked on. He has no memory of any life before the storm, and they name him Miles. With a focus on finding out who this boy is and where he came from, her mother starts facing her anxiety and depression. Slowly, mother and daughter begin to heal with the addition of Miles in their lives. Though the premise of this book is unique, the chapters on Circa's life before the storm makes for a slow start. The inclusion of the photoshopped pictures throughout the text is clever and adds to the juxtaposition throughout the text of grief, sadness, and desperation, mixed with the laughter and happiness Circa feels about her new situation. Yet the characters seem distant instead of emotionally raw. An unusual story for a limited readership.-Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2017
This is an interesting book because it is a little bit of a mystery. Also, the people in the story are very relatable.
September 28, 2015
This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.
This book was not at all what I expected it to be. It was much, much more than that. I thought it would be a pretty frilly book about a girl who misses her father after he dies, but then realizes that this boy who shows up on her doorstep is really her father reincarnated (sort of like Fluke, but the father becomes a boy instead of a dog), and they all live happily ever after because their family is reunited again.
This is not what happened. And I'm not spoiling anything, just correcting a misconception that you'd probably get from the teaser, because Circa Now never pretends to be a book about reincarnation. Circa and her mother aren't just there as placeholders to mourn for Circa's father; they are real, complex humans who are dealing with their own issues. Circa's mother in particular is nothing like I expected her to be - she is actually a recluse struggling with depression, who never goes anywhere except her home, her studio (where she's a professional picture-taker), and her church five blocks down the road. Circa's father always helped her through the rough spots, cushioning whatever he could for her, but now he's gone and Mrs. Monroe has to fend for herself in the big, bad world. When Miles shows up on her doorstep, her strength is tested even more as she has to take care of him (including taking him to the police, the doctor, etc).
Circa is still in deep mourning for her father, and she struggles to deal with her feelings as she must also try to fill his role in helping her mother cope with the world. She wants to finish her father's big project, which is a wall of pictures from her hometowns history. It was supposed to be a huge community service project, as well as a labor of love for the elderly citizens of the Alzheimer's facility in which the pictures are going to be placed. Circa is desperate to complete the job both in honor of her father and because she wants to help the patients at the facility rediscover their pasts. Her method of coping with her father's death is to try and "step up to bat," picking up all of the pieces she can (while also straining to believe that he somehow hasn't left her for good).
There's some conflict between Circa and her mother, because they have a very hard time understanding each other. Their methods of coping are often opposite, and cause them to butt heads as Circa is determined to finish her father's project, but her mother is just as determined to keep Circa from doing it because she doesn't want Circa to feel like she has to fill her father's place. This conflict felt very real, and added another dimension to the story.
My favorite dimension, though, was the one with Miles. From the minute he walked onto the page I knew that he was going to be a very interesting character. No matter where his amnesia came from, it made him very fascinating - and turned him into a very tortured, lonely boy. I was rooting for a happy ending from the very beginning, because I couldn't help but feel that he (along with all of the other main characters) desperately needed one.
I enjoyed Circa Now, but it wasn't my all-time favorite book. Because it's MG it didn't dive as far into the concepts as it could have, which was frustrating at times. It could have taken things to such wonderful depth! Circa Now still raises some fascinating points about the meaning of life, family, and happiness, though, and I'm glad I read it. If it interests you, then definitely give it a try!
This book was not at all what I expected it to be. It was much, much more than that. I thought it would be a pretty frilly book about a girl who misses her father after he dies, but then realizes that this boy who shows up on her doorstep is really her father reincarnated (sort of like Fluke, but the father becomes a boy instead of a dog), and they all live happily ever after because their family is reunited again.
This is not what happened. And I'm not spoiling anything, just correcting a misconception that you'd probably get from the teaser, because Circa Now never pretends to be a book about reincarnation. Circa and her mother aren't just there as placeholders to mourn for Circa's father; they are real, complex humans who are dealing with their own issues. Circa's mother in particular is nothing like I expected her to be - she is actually a recluse struggling with depression, who never goes anywhere except her home, her studio (where she's a professional picture-taker), and her church five blocks down the road. Circa's father always helped her through the rough spots, cushioning whatever he could for her, but now he's gone and Mrs. Monroe has to fend for herself in the big, bad world. When Miles shows up on her doorstep, her strength is tested even more as she has to take care of him (including taking him to the police, the doctor, etc).
Circa is still in deep mourning for her father, and she struggles to deal with her feelings as she must also try to fill his role in helping her mother cope with the world. She wants to finish her father's big project, which is a wall of pictures from her hometowns history. It was supposed to be a huge community service project, as well as a labor of love for the elderly citizens of the Alzheimer's facility in which the pictures are going to be placed. Circa is desperate to complete the job both in honor of her father and because she wants to help the patients at the facility rediscover their pasts. Her method of coping with her father's death is to try and "step up to bat," picking up all of the pieces she can (while also straining to believe that he somehow hasn't left her for good).
There's some conflict between Circa and her mother, because they have a very hard time understanding each other. Their methods of coping are often opposite, and cause them to butt heads as Circa is determined to finish her father's project, but her mother is just as determined to keep Circa from doing it because she doesn't want Circa to feel like she has to fill her father's place. This conflict felt very real, and added another dimension to the story.
My favorite dimension, though, was the one with Miles. From the minute he walked onto the page I knew that he was going to be a very interesting character. No matter where his amnesia came from, it made him very fascinating - and turned him into a very tortured, lonely boy. I was rooting for a happy ending from the very beginning, because I couldn't help but feel that he (along with all of the other main characters) desperately needed one.
I enjoyed Circa Now, but it wasn't my all-time favorite book. Because it's MG it didn't dive as far into the concepts as it could have, which was frustrating at times. It could have taken things to such wonderful depth! Circa Now still raises some fascinating points about the meaning of life, family, and happiness, though, and I'm glad I read it. If it interests you, then definitely give it a try!
March 13, 2016
To be honest, y'all, I deliberated over this review. I read Circa Now a couple of weeks ago, and I really enjoyed it, but I also felt slightly misled. In the back-of-book synopsis, I felt promised "a hint of magic." In fact, that final paragraph of the synopsis is a bit off base.
It is, however, truly a "gripping story full of hope and heart." So that's excellent! Circa Now is Circa's story- a young teen who lives in a small town with her photographer parents. One night her dad goes out to deliver some photos and is caught by a tornado. Just as she and her mom are beginning to pick up the pieces and find their new normal, Circa begins to notice that things that she and her dad Photoshopped in photos are coming true. A strange boy even shows up on their porch, the exact right age to match a baby that she and her dad Photoshopped into a picture!
More than anything else, Circa Now is a story of hope and healing... and maybe not so much of magic. You know that I try to avoid spoilers like the plague, but I can't help this one: there is no magic. I enjoyed the story. The author is quite talented. But the publisher put a misleading synopsis on the back cover. I think there was enough in the book to recommend it even without a teaser of magic, but maybe that's just me. From what I've been able to glean from author interviews and talking to other bibliophiles, authors very rarely have hardly any say over these synopses, so don't hold this against the book!
As I mentioned, it is a story of healing and growth. Circa is quite a young teen, and she's having to deal with the horrific tragedy of losing her dad. Her mom has depression and anxiety, and there are even hints of mild agoraphobia. Not only is there a beautiful story here of a young girl coming into her own through hope and help from friends and family, there's also a story of friendship. In the middle of all this, there's a strange boy, Miles, who shows up on their doorstep with amnesia. After the tornado he found a photograph on the ground with Circa's parents' photography studio address on the back, and he found his way to them. Circa and her best friend really step up and they befriend Miles. I love that this is a YA book without romance! Just friendship. It's really sweet.
Overall, I very much recommend this book, even minus any actual magic. The writing is superb, and I had trouble putting down the book ever. The plot kept a good, steady pace and the characters are 110% lovable. Then there are these cool photos roughly every other chapter. A big part of the plot focuses on photographs that Circa and her dad Photoshopped, and the author put them into the book so that we can see them! I loved that detail.
This book is also very, very mildly Christian, which I personally loved: there are quite a few mentions of the characters going to church services, there is no cussing, and there is mention of characters praying occasionally. Never preachy, just uplifting.
It is, however, truly a "gripping story full of hope and heart." So that's excellent! Circa Now is Circa's story- a young teen who lives in a small town with her photographer parents. One night her dad goes out to deliver some photos and is caught by a tornado. Just as she and her mom are beginning to pick up the pieces and find their new normal, Circa begins to notice that things that she and her dad Photoshopped in photos are coming true. A strange boy even shows up on their porch, the exact right age to match a baby that she and her dad Photoshopped into a picture!
More than anything else, Circa Now is a story of hope and healing... and maybe not so much of magic. You know that I try to avoid spoilers like the plague, but I can't help this one: there is no magic. I enjoyed the story. The author is quite talented. But the publisher put a misleading synopsis on the back cover. I think there was enough in the book to recommend it even without a teaser of magic, but maybe that's just me. From what I've been able to glean from author interviews and talking to other bibliophiles, authors very rarely have hardly any say over these synopses, so don't hold this against the book!
As I mentioned, it is a story of healing and growth. Circa is quite a young teen, and she's having to deal with the horrific tragedy of losing her dad. Her mom has depression and anxiety, and there are even hints of mild agoraphobia. Not only is there a beautiful story here of a young girl coming into her own through hope and help from friends and family, there's also a story of friendship. In the middle of all this, there's a strange boy, Miles, who shows up on their doorstep with amnesia. After the tornado he found a photograph on the ground with Circa's parents' photography studio address on the back, and he found his way to them. Circa and her best friend really step up and they befriend Miles. I love that this is a YA book without romance! Just friendship. It's really sweet.
Overall, I very much recommend this book, even minus any actual magic. The writing is superb, and I had trouble putting down the book ever. The plot kept a good, steady pace and the characters are 110% lovable. Then there are these cool photos roughly every other chapter. A big part of the plot focuses on photographs that Circa and her dad Photoshopped, and the author put them into the book so that we can see them! I loved that detail.
This book is also very, very mildly Christian, which I personally loved: there are quite a few mentions of the characters going to church services, there is no cussing, and there is mention of characters praying occasionally. Never preachy, just uplifting.
February 11, 2015
11 year old Circa loves her father, who restores old photographs for a living. He also secretly photoshops bizarre things into them and writes stories about them for Circa, keeping them in her private “shopt” folder. When he is killed in a tornado, Circa is heartbroken, and her mother—who struggles with depression—isn’t able to be much help. What does help, oddly enough, is finding a strange, amnesiac boy on their porch, who found one of Circa’s father’s restored pictures and followed the address on the back. He’s covered with scars, and calls himself Miles, though he doesn’t really know who he is. With Miles temporarily staying with them, Circa tries to get her life back on track. She wants to finish a major project her father started; putting together a memory wall of restored photos for the nursing home he and Circa always visited. As she tries to become as good as her father, Circa notices something odd about the shopt pictures—some of the things in them seem to be coming true. Did her father have some secret magic she didn’t know about? Does she have it? If so, what could she do with it?
Although this book had a few flaws—some clunky dialogue, some aspects that felt awkward—overall, I really liked it. I liked the puzzle of Miles, and Circa coming to the conclusion that he was the baby her father photoshopped into the picture that led Miles to them. Her wondering about the magic, and whether it’s real, reminded me of “The Center of Everything”—the desperate need for something to believe in after such a loss. I liked Circa’s flawed mother, too—all the characters were well-drawn and realistic, and didn’t always make good choices. I’m not sure how realistic the situation with Miles and Child Protective Services was, though—would the police really just send him home with anybody? Overall, though, a charming little book, and I loved the insertions of the photoshopped pictures with their stories (though seriously, none of the photoshopping looked very professional).
Although this book had a few flaws—some clunky dialogue, some aspects that felt awkward—overall, I really liked it. I liked the puzzle of Miles, and Circa coming to the conclusion that he was the baby her father photoshopped into the picture that led Miles to them. Her wondering about the magic, and whether it’s real, reminded me of “The Center of Everything”—the desperate need for something to believe in after such a loss. I liked Circa’s flawed mother, too—all the characters were well-drawn and realistic, and didn’t always make good choices. I’m not sure how realistic the situation with Miles and Child Protective Services was, though—would the police really just send him home with anybody? Overall, though, a charming little book, and I loved the insertions of the photoshopped pictures with their stories (though seriously, none of the photoshopping looked very professional).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2014
Home is a refuge for Circa Monroe—especially in her family’s photo studio where her mom shoots portraits and her father skillfully restores old photos. Circa is learning the family business at her father’s side—they especially enjoy photoshopping the odd photo for their own amusement. Together they are working to create a memory wall for the local nursing facility to help residents connect their pasts and presents. When a demanding customer insists on the immediate delivery of a special family reunion photo, Circa’s warm, funny dad jumps into his jeep and never returns—lost to a category 5 tornado.
I can’t name a book I’ve read recently that doesn’t have a main character grieving or coping with loss. Circa Now is different because the story takes place in the weeks following Mr. Monroe’s death. Circa takes refuge in her father’s photo collection—the precious ‘shopt’ pictures (complete with captions creating stories to go with the bizarre images…think Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children) and, most of all, the memory wall project. Her mother, who already suffers from depression, refuses to allow Circa to continue the memory wall project so Circa tries to prove herself to her mother by creating some “shopt” images herself. Circa reasons that these images will help keep her father alive, and she begins to believe that the shopt parts have become real—especially when a strange boy who reminds Circa of her father, turns up claiming no memory from the time of the storm; this and other coincidences fuels Circa’s belief that the power to change the past may lie in the skillful clicks of a mouse.
The possibility of restoring what was lost is an intriguing concept---one power we all wish we had. The author allows us to wonder “what if” even as she plans to bring us, and Circa, down to earth. The ending is satisfying and hopeful, the people and the situations—even when the possibility of a little ‘shopt’ magic is suggested—are real. This one’s a winner.
I can’t name a book I’ve read recently that doesn’t have a main character grieving or coping with loss. Circa Now is different because the story takes place in the weeks following Mr. Monroe’s death. Circa takes refuge in her father’s photo collection—the precious ‘shopt’ pictures (complete with captions creating stories to go with the bizarre images…think Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children) and, most of all, the memory wall project. Her mother, who already suffers from depression, refuses to allow Circa to continue the memory wall project so Circa tries to prove herself to her mother by creating some “shopt” images herself. Circa reasons that these images will help keep her father alive, and she begins to believe that the shopt parts have become real—especially when a strange boy who reminds Circa of her father, turns up claiming no memory from the time of the storm; this and other coincidences fuels Circa’s belief that the power to change the past may lie in the skillful clicks of a mouse.
The possibility of restoring what was lost is an intriguing concept---one power we all wish we had. The author allows us to wonder “what if” even as she plans to bring us, and Circa, down to earth. The ending is satisfying and hopeful, the people and the situations—even when the possibility of a little ‘shopt’ magic is suggested—are real. This one’s a winner.
September 1, 2014
"A good photograph [can] make one now speak for a million thens." Circa Monroe and her father bond over their mutual love of photoshopping images in Studio Monroe and creating funny stories to go along with them. After Circa's father dies in a terrible storm, a random teenager without any memory named Miles appears on the family's doorstep. Almost like magic, more random appearances occur with what Circa notices a stunning comparison to the "shopt" photos she and her father have created. As Circa and her mother try to help Miles find his home and remember his past, Circa and her nature-loving friend Nattie try to uncover the mystery of the photographs. If random images are coming to life, could Circa also have the power to change the past and bring her father back?
An original story of loss and healing, I must admit I was still expecting more from this book. I think I was too affected by all of the love and hype for this book from fellow teachers and Twitter to give it a proper read. While I was expecting to be blown away and wasn't, it still was a decent story. And I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised to read about families going to church on Sunday. I don't know why, but it really stuck out to me even though it is in no way a major part of the novel. Good story, but you should go into it without any expectations, unlike I did.
An original story of loss and healing, I must admit I was still expecting more from this book. I think I was too affected by all of the love and hype for this book from fellow teachers and Twitter to give it a proper read. While I was expecting to be blown away and wasn't, it still was a decent story. And I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised to read about families going to church on Sunday. I don't know why, but it really stuck out to me even though it is in no way a major part of the novel. Good story, but you should go into it without any expectations, unlike I did.
November 26, 2014
This was a really interesting book, because it wasn't until the very end that I was able to fully determine it as a work of realistic fiction. The author does a great job of keeping the reader hooked and questioning throughout, so the pages turn quickly. An eleven year old girl named Circa is left to pick up the pieces of her life and family after a terrible tornado blows through her town. Along with the major changes that result from the storm, a lone boy randomly shows up on her front doorstep. He says his name is Miles, but he cannot recall any details of his life. Through photo restorations and PhotoShop fun, Circa and Miles develop a strong friendship with one another. He changes her and her mother in a way that they could not have imagined, or known that they needed. I love how the author weaves interesting, "Shopt," photos throughout the book with funny, yet creative, stories to go along with them. Circa and her father had a special thing going on between them, where they would add humorous touches to photos that were otherwise very normal. For instance, a trio of koalas were added to a picture of a little girl on her front porch. They would then create stories to explain the strange additions. Though there are some heavy topics covered in this book, I think they are incorporated in a developmentally appropriate manner for children.
July 23, 2014
This is a special book. I loved Circa and Miles, and all the gems of friendship, family, spirituality, and wisdom McRee packed into this story. It reminded me a little of Savvy and Scumble, but with a quieter, more serious tone. The Shopt photographs and accompanying stories were quirky and unique. There were so many interesting and wonderful parts of this tale: the mother's depression and anxiety, coping with the loss of Circa's dad, the possibility of magic, the Maple Grove residents and memory wall, Miles and his mysterious story, the photographs and photoshopping, and I could go on and on. This is a mentor text, a touchstone text, and would be a whopper of a good read aloud. Can't wait to share it with my students! Favorite lines: "...she considered how a person's purpose here on earth might not be made up of a thousand past or future thens. How it might be all about just one now..." Conversation between Circa and Miles: "Your mom is stronger than you think," said Miles.
"Easy for you to say," said Circa. "She doesn't seem to have any trouble taking care of you. It's me that's the problem."
"There might be a good reason for that," said Miles. "Maybe it's because I see what she can do, and you see what she can't."
Sigh. Great book!
"Easy for you to say," said Circa. "She doesn't seem to have any trouble taking care of you. It's me that's the problem."
"There might be a good reason for that," said Miles. "Maybe it's because I see what she can do, and you see what she can't."
Sigh. Great book!
May 25, 2015
Circa is the daughter of two photographers. Her mother does portrait work, and her dad does photo restorations. One night, when Circa's father is driving to deliver some photo touch-ups to a customer, a tornado sweeps through the area and Circa's father is killed when his truck strikes a tree. Weeks later, as Circa and her mother are trying to find a "new normal", a boy names Miles appears at their house. He doesn't remember his name or anything about his past except those things that have happened since the day of that fateful tornado disaster. Miles carries with him one of the restoration photos Circa's dad was delivering the night that he died.
Circa tries to help Miles find out something about who he is and what his history is, and becomes his friend. As the two continue to investigate, they start to notice some strange thing about some "for fun" restoration work Circa's dad had done that he called "The Shopt". What if the crazy things Circa's dad Photoshopped into photos actually became real? And what if one of those crazy things was actually Miles?
Circa Now is a great book about the importance of family and friends and about the "What if's...?" of life.
Circa tries to help Miles find out something about who he is and what his history is, and becomes his friend. As the two continue to investigate, they start to notice some strange thing about some "for fun" restoration work Circa's dad had done that he called "The Shopt". What if the crazy things Circa's dad Photoshopped into photos actually became real? And what if one of those crazy things was actually Miles?
Circa Now is a great book about the importance of family and friends and about the "What if's...?" of life.
June 15, 2014
I really, really enjoyed this book. Circa, is a young girl who loses her father in a devastating tornado early in the story. She and her father had worked together on special Photoshop projects. They were particularly devoted to restoring photos for a memory care home in their town. As a way to work through her pain and loss she wants to continue this project even though her mother objects. In the process, she starts to believe there might be something magical about her photo-shopping. In addition, as she and her mother try to return to their lives with Dad, an unusual guest appears on their doorstep.
This story was heart-breaking on many levels. The characters each must find a way through their grief and fears. The frightening effects of memory loss are explored from several perspectives.
The book reminded me somewhat of A Snicker of Magic. In both stories, the interconnections of our lives with those around us prove to be stronger than mere coincidence. The characters and their stories are easier to follow in Circa Now. The language is not as poetic or melodic as A Snicker of Magic, but I think young readers will enjoy this story more.
This story was heart-breaking on many levels. The characters each must find a way through their grief and fears. The frightening effects of memory loss are explored from several perspectives.
The book reminded me somewhat of A Snicker of Magic. In both stories, the interconnections of our lives with those around us prove to be stronger than mere coincidence. The characters and their stories are easier to follow in Circa Now. The language is not as poetic or melodic as A Snicker of Magic, but I think young readers will enjoy this story more.
August 13, 2014
Lexile Level:N/A
Summary:
Circa is your average 12 year old girl. She has a loving father and mother, who both do work in the photo industry, and she loves helping “Shopt” some of her father’s old photos. Shopt simply means adding things in photos to make them funny or adding little things in to see if anyone notices. However, one day Circa’s life takes a horrible turn; her father dies in a horrible tornado while delivering a set of pictures to a family reunion. Circa and her mother live with Circa’s best friend Natalie for 3 weeks and then return home and find an unexpected body in their house. A little boy named Miles has been living there for the last 3 weeks. He has amnesia. He can’t remember anything at all about his past. His mom and Circa take him in as family, but will he stay there or will social services take him away? Also, Circa’s been playing around with Shopt and she has noticed that when she makes changes to recent photos things do change. Is it merely a coincidence or is something magical going on. I liked the story line, but I thought the storyline was a little far-fetched.
Stars 2/5
Reviewed By: Jen T.
Summary:
Circa is your average 12 year old girl. She has a loving father and mother, who both do work in the photo industry, and she loves helping “Shopt” some of her father’s old photos. Shopt simply means adding things in photos to make them funny or adding little things in to see if anyone notices. However, one day Circa’s life takes a horrible turn; her father dies in a horrible tornado while delivering a set of pictures to a family reunion. Circa and her mother live with Circa’s best friend Natalie for 3 weeks and then return home and find an unexpected body in their house. A little boy named Miles has been living there for the last 3 weeks. He has amnesia. He can’t remember anything at all about his past. His mom and Circa take him in as family, but will he stay there or will social services take him away? Also, Circa’s been playing around with Shopt and she has noticed that when she makes changes to recent photos things do change. Is it merely a coincidence or is something magical going on. I liked the story line, but I thought the storyline was a little far-fetched.
Stars 2/5
Reviewed By: Jen T.
May 14, 2015
This book was really good, its about a girl named Circa who has a dad that is a really good photo shopper. He has a studio for his pictures that he photo shops for people after he's done shopping the pictures he makes a funny version of the same one and writes a story to go along with it. One day Circa's dad goes out right before a storm to deliver a picture to the Linholt Reunion. When trying to get there her dad gets in a terrible accident hitting a tree and dying. After his death Circa and her mom stay at her friends house for awhile. When there coming home they see a kid about 13 years old jumping their fence.They find out he woke up at the reunion and dose not remember anything about himself not even his name. He had been brought to there studio by a person near the reunion where he came up with the name Miles. After a few weeks of Miles living with them. They start to notice when they photo shopped things into a picture they seem to come true like when a baby was shopped into a picture 13 years ago. They start to think that Miles is shopped. Well they figure out the mystery of him showing up or will he have his memory gone forever?
November 12, 2014
When the father dies in this book, I first had my Kid Book Club chiming in my head "well, at least it's not the MOM, but why do the parents always have to die??" They are always on about how moms in kids' novels are always dying for some reason.
And while this could have been just another plot point, the whole book actually revolves around this man's death. It's a story about how different people deal with loss. The mom and daughter both relied so heavily on the dad that when he was gone, there was a while when neither knew quite what to do with themselves or what to expect from each other. It's like the dad carried and kept all the family secrets, and without him, it begins to make sense to let other people in. While I am a big fan of magical realism, I'm glad that this book explores the effects of letting your imagination run too far. Believing in magic is great, but not if it is really just your hopes getting blown out of proportion until they start to hurt others.
I would recommend this to 3rd through 6th graders.
And while this could have been just another plot point, the whole book actually revolves around this man's death. It's a story about how different people deal with loss. The mom and daughter both relied so heavily on the dad that when he was gone, there was a while when neither knew quite what to do with themselves or what to expect from each other. It's like the dad carried and kept all the family secrets, and without him, it begins to make sense to let other people in. While I am a big fan of magical realism, I'm glad that this book explores the effects of letting your imagination run too far. Believing in magic is great, but not if it is really just your hopes getting blown out of proportion until they start to hurt others.
I would recommend this to 3rd through 6th graders.
October 13, 2014
I must make a confession. I went through and read all the "Shopt" stories first because the old photographs intrigued me so. They could almost stand alone! But they became so meaningful when I read this one-of-a-kind, beautifully written story. Circa and Dad's relationship is so sweet and funny and heartbreaking. Her belief in the Shopt "magic" captures what it's like to lose someone precious in childhood and try to find a way to get him back. The unfolding of Mom's depression is spot on. Miles broke my heart and made me cry like a baby. Circa is the epitome of an eleven year old...a little ball of hope and wonder and selfishness and generosity. I loved Turner's Sway and sort of hoped this would be more of the same fun ride full of puns and humorous characters. It's far more than that with the same polished prose...a deep story of loss and friendship with a heaping helping of surprise and how to make your own "magic".
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