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Professor Renoir’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights: A Middle Grade Historical Adventure About a Giant Girl and a Dwarf
In this vivid, entertaining, and authentic historical novel set in the world of a traveling carnival in 1896, two fourteen-year-old girls—one a giant and the other a dwarf—start out as enemies but soon come to depend on one another to escape the clutches of an evil carnie owner who wants to kill and stuff their beloved animals. For fans of The One and Only Ivan and Water for Elephants.
The year is 1896, and Fern “Babe” Killingsworth is fourteen years old, six-foot-nine inches, and weighs 342 lbs. When her father sells her for a hundred dollars to Professor Phillipe Renoir, Babe has nothing to lose. She’s hoping she’ll find something worthwhile working alongside the other “freaks” in Professor Renoir’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights.
When Babe meets Carlotta, the tiny performer seems like nothing more than a spoiled diva. “I’m a dwarf, not a midget!” says the diminutive dancer—but soon the two are partners in crime, eventually disgusted by the conditions and treatment they experience in carnie life, and especially afraid of Renoir’s threats to kill and stuff their beloved animal companions, an elephant, a chimp, and a bear. When the two girls get good news in a letter, they run away from Renoir and find themselves in a much better situation at the home of Carlotta’s aunt—but will it be the last stop for Babe?
The year is 1896, and Fern “Babe” Killingsworth is fourteen years old, six-foot-nine inches, and weighs 342 lbs. When her father sells her for a hundred dollars to Professor Phillipe Renoir, Babe has nothing to lose. She’s hoping she’ll find something worthwhile working alongside the other “freaks” in Professor Renoir’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights.
When Babe meets Carlotta, the tiny performer seems like nothing more than a spoiled diva. “I’m a dwarf, not a midget!” says the diminutive dancer—but soon the two are partners in crime, eventually disgusted by the conditions and treatment they experience in carnie life, and especially afraid of Renoir’s threats to kill and stuff their beloved animal companions, an elephant, a chimp, and a bear. When the two girls get good news in a letter, they run away from Renoir and find themselves in a much better situation at the home of Carlotta’s aunt—but will it be the last stop for Babe?
416 pages, Hardcover
First published July 23, 2019
5 people are currently reading
1987 people want to read
About the author
Randall Platt
15 books76 followersJUST WHO IS THIS RANDALL PLATT?
(hint: Not a guy!)
Randall Platt writes fiction for adults and young adults and those who don't own up to being either. Platt, a lifelong resident of the Upper Left Hand Corner, has been a full-time writer for twenty-five years which is certainly long enough to know better. But since Platt finds no shortage of fascinating characters and stories springing from the beautiful Pacific Northwest, the books just keep coming. Which explains why nearly all Platt’s novels take place in Washington or Oregon, the exception being Liberty’s Christmas, which takes place in Texas during the Depression.
Platt's novels have won several awards including twice winning the Willa Literary Award and twice winning the Will Rogers Medallion for best young adult literature. Platt has also received the Keystone State Reading Award, been a finalist for the PEN Center USA award as well as the Washington State Book Award. Platt is a sought-after speaker and presenter at conferences, schools, and libraries, specializing in fun and honest answers shot straight from the hip.
Platt’s latest novels have two things common - they take place during World War II and feature a strong female protagonist who stands up, stands out and resists. The paperback edition of Incommunicado, set during the first turbulent months of World War Two and dealing with Japanese internment, releases in the spring of 2017.
The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die, also releasing in the spring of 2017, is an intense young adult novel of street kids surviving and resisting on the Nazi-occupied streets of Warsaw.
Twice Hollywood has called Platt - her first novel, The Four Arrows Fe-As-Ko was filmed by Sullivan Entertainment as Promise The Moon. Another novel, The Cornerstone, has been optioned for feature film by actor/director Tom Skerritt.
Several times a week Platt puts away the words and heads for the nearest handball court or hiking trail.
More information than you ever wished to know about Platt is available at www.plattbooks.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, as well as the usual book websites.
(hint: Not a guy!)
Randall Platt writes fiction for adults and young adults and those who don't own up to being either. Platt, a lifelong resident of the Upper Left Hand Corner, has been a full-time writer for twenty-five years which is certainly long enough to know better. But since Platt finds no shortage of fascinating characters and stories springing from the beautiful Pacific Northwest, the books just keep coming. Which explains why nearly all Platt’s novels take place in Washington or Oregon, the exception being Liberty’s Christmas, which takes place in Texas during the Depression.
Platt's novels have won several awards including twice winning the Willa Literary Award and twice winning the Will Rogers Medallion for best young adult literature. Platt has also received the Keystone State Reading Award, been a finalist for the PEN Center USA award as well as the Washington State Book Award. Platt is a sought-after speaker and presenter at conferences, schools, and libraries, specializing in fun and honest answers shot straight from the hip.
Platt’s latest novels have two things common - they take place during World War II and feature a strong female protagonist who stands up, stands out and resists. The paperback edition of Incommunicado, set during the first turbulent months of World War Two and dealing with Japanese internment, releases in the spring of 2017.
The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die, also releasing in the spring of 2017, is an intense young adult novel of street kids surviving and resisting on the Nazi-occupied streets of Warsaw.
Twice Hollywood has called Platt - her first novel, The Four Arrows Fe-As-Ko was filmed by Sullivan Entertainment as Promise The Moon. Another novel, The Cornerstone, has been optioned for feature film by actor/director Tom Skerritt.
Several times a week Platt puts away the words and heads for the nearest handball court or hiking trail.
More information than you ever wished to know about Platt is available at www.plattbooks.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, as well as the usual book websites.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
June 11, 2019
Randall Platt's character writing remains, to date, one of the best I've experienced in middle grade/YA fiction. She is a magician, transforming words on a page into living, breathing people who effortlessly pull the reader into their world.
Fourteen-year-old giantess Fern Marie Killingsworth (better known as "Babe") is sold as a freak by her abusive father, throwing her into the harsh world of a failing carnival owned by the sleazy "Professor Renoir." Babe quickly befriends and becomes the protector for the mistreated "critters" in the outfit. The blunt and down-to-earth girl makes human friends more slowly - namely the carnival's young dwarf and its motherly psychic - but holds them just as dear.
Ms. Platt brings to life a colorful world, peopled with vivid characters and I highly recommend it to the young and young-at-heart alike!
Fourteen-year-old giantess Fern Marie Killingsworth (better known as "Babe") is sold as a freak by her abusive father, throwing her into the harsh world of a failing carnival owned by the sleazy "Professor Renoir." Babe quickly befriends and becomes the protector for the mistreated "critters" in the outfit. The blunt and down-to-earth girl makes human friends more slowly - namely the carnival's young dwarf and its motherly psychic - but holds them just as dear.
Ms. Platt brings to life a colorful world, peopled with vivid characters and I highly recommend it to the young and young-at-heart alike!
June 7, 2019
Book Review
PROFESSOR RENOIRS COLLECTION OF ODDITIES, CURIOSITIES, AND DELIGHTS by Randall Platt
To begin I must admit I am a real fan of Randall Platt’s writing. I am a 75-year-old woman reading Middle Grade or YA Literature! I pretend I am pre-reading it so I can decide whether one of my grandchildren will enjoy the book, and indeed, I do send the books on to them. So far nobody has given me a teenage eye roll!
I was gifted my copy of Professor Renoir’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights in exchange for an honest review of the book. The book was a delight, a surprise, and a ‘unique consideration’ all rolled in to one.
I read with continued interest, turning pages instead of getting out of my chair to do other things. The characters were so well drawn in this book. Watching Babe Killingsworth ‘grow’ literally and figuratively was a journey by itself. She was such an ‘other’ in the beginning; isolated, shunned, ridiculed and unloved, but by the time we reached the end of the story (clearly not the end of her journey!) she had evolved and developed into a young woman with confidence in her abilities, her personhood and her lovability. How she navigated through her carnie experience, making friends, keeping her beast at bay whenever her beloved creatures were mistreated, and ultimately finding the inner strength to strike out in the unknown larger world, was believable and satisfying to the reader.
The secondary characters were also nicely drawn, Lottie, the bright, intelligent, angry dwarf —at first Babe’s competitor and by the end her dear friend—was definitely a stick-in-your-mind personality. Madame de La Rosa, Babe’s protector and confidant, gave Babe hope and confidence in her personhood. The retired carnies, Miss V, Cleve and the teenage boy Denny all added substance and reality to the life Babe had entered, and wanted to escape. Substance because they had all lived it; reality because they understood she would never be viewed as anything but an oddity in the outside world.
The book had many deeper messages to impart to the reader, lessons I think would be well served to many young people growing up in today’s world. What does it mean to be ‘different?’ What opportunities are open to you and closed to you based on your physical appearance? How are you judged when people first meet you? Is pre-judging a person based on a first observance or impression a good idea? Do you get it ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ most of the time? Should you take the time to ‘get to know’ someone before you make assumptions about them? Is it fair to say sometimes people who act out with bad behavior are really acting out from emotional pain and abuse you don’t know about? Do people who are ‘different’ have feelings like everyone else?
I loved the conflict between Lotty, Babe and Denny. Everything about the actions, emotions and feelings was real, honest and believable.
I highly recommend this book for middle grade readers and people in nursing homes! The story, the characters and the lessons it teaches will either be in front of you in your life, or you will recall them with deeper understanding from reliving them through this wonderful book.
PROFESSOR RENOIRS COLLECTION OF ODDITIES, CURIOSITIES, AND DELIGHTS by Randall Platt
To begin I must admit I am a real fan of Randall Platt’s writing. I am a 75-year-old woman reading Middle Grade or YA Literature! I pretend I am pre-reading it so I can decide whether one of my grandchildren will enjoy the book, and indeed, I do send the books on to them. So far nobody has given me a teenage eye roll!
I was gifted my copy of Professor Renoir’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights in exchange for an honest review of the book. The book was a delight, a surprise, and a ‘unique consideration’ all rolled in to one.
I read with continued interest, turning pages instead of getting out of my chair to do other things. The characters were so well drawn in this book. Watching Babe Killingsworth ‘grow’ literally and figuratively was a journey by itself. She was such an ‘other’ in the beginning; isolated, shunned, ridiculed and unloved, but by the time we reached the end of the story (clearly not the end of her journey!) she had evolved and developed into a young woman with confidence in her abilities, her personhood and her lovability. How she navigated through her carnie experience, making friends, keeping her beast at bay whenever her beloved creatures were mistreated, and ultimately finding the inner strength to strike out in the unknown larger world, was believable and satisfying to the reader.
The secondary characters were also nicely drawn, Lottie, the bright, intelligent, angry dwarf —at first Babe’s competitor and by the end her dear friend—was definitely a stick-in-your-mind personality. Madame de La Rosa, Babe’s protector and confidant, gave Babe hope and confidence in her personhood. The retired carnies, Miss V, Cleve and the teenage boy Denny all added substance and reality to the life Babe had entered, and wanted to escape. Substance because they had all lived it; reality because they understood she would never be viewed as anything but an oddity in the outside world.
The book had many deeper messages to impart to the reader, lessons I think would be well served to many young people growing up in today’s world. What does it mean to be ‘different?’ What opportunities are open to you and closed to you based on your physical appearance? How are you judged when people first meet you? Is pre-judging a person based on a first observance or impression a good idea? Do you get it ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ most of the time? Should you take the time to ‘get to know’ someone before you make assumptions about them? Is it fair to say sometimes people who act out with bad behavior are really acting out from emotional pain and abuse you don’t know about? Do people who are ‘different’ have feelings like everyone else?
I loved the conflict between Lotty, Babe and Denny. Everything about the actions, emotions and feelings was real, honest and believable.
I highly recommend this book for middle grade readers and people in nursing homes! The story, the characters and the lessons it teaches will either be in front of you in your life, or you will recall them with deeper understanding from reliving them through this wonderful book.
August 5, 2019
Platt's story blasts off a heart-wrenching start featuring every child's worst fear: abandonment. But Babe Killingsworth, isn't an ordinary kid, if there is such thing. At 14 she is 6 foot 9 and more than 300 pounds and is especially vulnerable. Her mother is dead and her father, one of the villains in the story, sells her to Professor Renoir, the shady owner of a traveling carnival/freak show as she witnesses their cold-heartening bargaining over her worth and contract.
Leaving a home where she is unloved, she climbs aboard Renoir's train as it leaves town, and her bizarre situation goes from managing everyday cruelties to surviving by her wits. The year is 1896 and this story proves how little sympathy other people can have for giant girls, misfits, and anyone who doesn't fit society's standards. In the midst of other 'acts' that include dwarf elephants and girls, a fortune teller, an aging bear and chimpanzee, she flounders and struggles to find her place and create an act as Magnifica making her a valuable commodity.
It doesn't take long for Babe to discover that Renoir's entourage is on the skids and he has plans to offload some of the acts and even the critters he's now forced to feed and send them to a taxidermist as a cheaper way to display exotic creatures. During her lonely childhood Babe has cultivated an affinity for taking care of animals and wants to save her four-legged friends. But how can she leave Renoir when he owns her contract and how can she find her way in a world that cares little for orphaned giants.
As someone who lives in the Northwest, I enjoyed the trains' route through this region in a less-populated and generous era. I was especially impressed by Platt's research, dialogue, and how her readers come to feel what Babe feels. While there is a lesson here about rising above and the value of friendship, it also teaches readers what deep longing for a normal body feels like, what acute self-consciousness feels like when the heroine can hardly find a chair or bed that will hold her, a room where she can stand tall in.
I was given an ARC of this book by the publisher and cannot recommend it enough.
Leaving a home where she is unloved, she climbs aboard Renoir's train as it leaves town, and her bizarre situation goes from managing everyday cruelties to surviving by her wits. The year is 1896 and this story proves how little sympathy other people can have for giant girls, misfits, and anyone who doesn't fit society's standards. In the midst of other 'acts' that include dwarf elephants and girls, a fortune teller, an aging bear and chimpanzee, she flounders and struggles to find her place and create an act as Magnifica making her a valuable commodity.
It doesn't take long for Babe to discover that Renoir's entourage is on the skids and he has plans to offload some of the acts and even the critters he's now forced to feed and send them to a taxidermist as a cheaper way to display exotic creatures. During her lonely childhood Babe has cultivated an affinity for taking care of animals and wants to save her four-legged friends. But how can she leave Renoir when he owns her contract and how can she find her way in a world that cares little for orphaned giants.
As someone who lives in the Northwest, I enjoyed the trains' route through this region in a less-populated and generous era. I was especially impressed by Platt's research, dialogue, and how her readers come to feel what Babe feels. While there is a lesson here about rising above and the value of friendship, it also teaches readers what deep longing for a normal body feels like, what acute self-consciousness feels like when the heroine can hardly find a chair or bed that will hold her, a room where she can stand tall in.
I was given an ARC of this book by the publisher and cannot recommend it enough.
July 27, 2019
I love an entertaining read that includes history and a setting that I am totally unfamiliar with.
The story takes place in the age of carnivals back in the late 1800s. The main character is Babe, who is sold to a down and out carnival by her abusive father as a freak. Babe is super tall, super heavy and super strong and through her story shows her strengths, kindness and loyalties. She has difficulty being accepted by people but finds a deep connection and need to protect a chimp, bear and an elephant. Babe teams up with a girl her age who is the carnival dwarf and they make plans to save the animals. This is a wonderful story about what it’s like to be different in a judgmental world and how to rise above it and accept yourself. There are so many great messages for a YA reader all wrapped up in an exciting and adventurous story.
I was gifted an ARC of Randall Platt’s book in exchange for an honest review.
The story takes place in the age of carnivals back in the late 1800s. The main character is Babe, who is sold to a down and out carnival by her abusive father as a freak. Babe is super tall, super heavy and super strong and through her story shows her strengths, kindness and loyalties. She has difficulty being accepted by people but finds a deep connection and need to protect a chimp, bear and an elephant. Babe teams up with a girl her age who is the carnival dwarf and they make plans to save the animals. This is a wonderful story about what it’s like to be different in a judgmental world and how to rise above it and accept yourself. There are so many great messages for a YA reader all wrapped up in an exciting and adventurous story.
I was gifted an ARC of Randall Platt’s book in exchange for an honest review.
June 25, 2019
See my full review here: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfic...
PROFESSOR RENOIR'S COLLECTION OF ODDITIES, CURIOSITIES, AND DELIGHTS primarily follows Babe, a fourteen-year-old girl who has gigantism. She already stands at nearing 7' tall and towers over everyone around her. She was not taught well, as she was kicked out of school when she was younger, and her father shows little to no interest in her. She sleeps in the barn, and she is happy with that as she loves animals and brings strays in to help them heal.
When Professor Renoir comes to town to see about purchasing her services, her father is all too happy to let her go, as long as he gets a good sum of money. Babe is willing to go and curious to find others who are different like her. On the circuit, she learns that the group is suffering financially, and another act has recently been purchased- a girl her age with dwarfism and a dwarf elephant. Her encounters with the girl, Carlotta (Lotty), have not gone well so far.
Babe finds solace in the friendship of the fortune teller, Madame de la Rosa, and in the aging animals in the group, a chimpanzee and a bear. However, with the group's finances being so bad, Renoir wants to kill the animals and stuff them. To prevent this from happening, Babe will team up with Carlotta.
What I loved: Babe's perspectives on the carnival are unique and provide new insight into the lives of the people and animals involved. The characters and the story really come to life in this book, with Babe feeling very real and three-dimensional, and even the other people capturing hearts and imaginations through their interactions with her (particularly Madame de la Rosa). There's a very clear villain here, and this seems common in this type of group, revealing important messages about the treatment/abuse of animals. There are also some great themes revealed through the interactions between Babe and Lotty with first impressions, appearances, and working together.
Final verdict: Fans of historical fiction and WATER FOR ELEPHANTS will delight in this enthralling book about a very tall girl and her journey through the carnival circuit. Babe is a fantastic and relatable character that shines through this story.
PROFESSOR RENOIR'S COLLECTION OF ODDITIES, CURIOSITIES, AND DELIGHTS primarily follows Babe, a fourteen-year-old girl who has gigantism. She already stands at nearing 7' tall and towers over everyone around her. She was not taught well, as she was kicked out of school when she was younger, and her father shows little to no interest in her. She sleeps in the barn, and she is happy with that as she loves animals and brings strays in to help them heal.
When Professor Renoir comes to town to see about purchasing her services, her father is all too happy to let her go, as long as he gets a good sum of money. Babe is willing to go and curious to find others who are different like her. On the circuit, she learns that the group is suffering financially, and another act has recently been purchased- a girl her age with dwarfism and a dwarf elephant. Her encounters with the girl, Carlotta (Lotty), have not gone well so far.
Babe finds solace in the friendship of the fortune teller, Madame de la Rosa, and in the aging animals in the group, a chimpanzee and a bear. However, with the group's finances being so bad, Renoir wants to kill the animals and stuff them. To prevent this from happening, Babe will team up with Carlotta.
What I loved: Babe's perspectives on the carnival are unique and provide new insight into the lives of the people and animals involved. The characters and the story really come to life in this book, with Babe feeling very real and three-dimensional, and even the other people capturing hearts and imaginations through their interactions with her (particularly Madame de la Rosa). There's a very clear villain here, and this seems common in this type of group, revealing important messages about the treatment/abuse of animals. There are also some great themes revealed through the interactions between Babe and Lotty with first impressions, appearances, and working together.
Final verdict: Fans of historical fiction and WATER FOR ELEPHANTS will delight in this enthralling book about a very tall girl and her journey through the carnival circuit. Babe is a fantastic and relatable character that shines through this story.
January 4, 2020
This book did not live up to my expectations, unfortunately. I thought the setting and characters were so unique and I saved it for the last book to read while on holiday. But, it was about 200 pages too long with characters I didn't really care about. I thought the author was a male with the way the main character was written. Surprised to find out the author was female. Babe felt like the way a male author would write his assumptions for a 14 year old girl. Yes, she was a giant, but I don't believe a real teenage girl giant would be so gruff and masculine. Her hick dialect was annoying, not endearing and some of the dialogue about lady parts makes the book borderline inappropriate for my elementary school readers.
August 4, 2019
I enjoyed this story about a traveling sideshow's main attractions. I worried that the ending was going to be too Hollywood, but was ultimately satisfied with the resolution.
June 7, 2019
Disclaimer: I’ve was gifted an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Once again Randall Platt has captured the spirit and individuality of a youth pitted against extraordinary odds of existence. Fern Marie Killingsworth, born Jan 2, 1882, was barely a year old when she began growing at an alarming rate due to a condition called gigantism. In the opening pages Babe, Fern’s nickname, is fourteen years old, stands 6 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 343 pounds. She is an eye witness to her father’s dickering with circus director, Professor Renoir, about contract details involving her participation in “Renior’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities and Delights.”
Platt does not write with pity, but rather shows Babe’s self-acceptance and determination to make the best of her life while taking care of “critters.” Further, this author is not so concerned with political correctness that she avoids writing authentically in the language of the times and circumstance of a story. I found that added greatly to the story. She adds just the right amount of humor to make Babe’s situation bearable. Babe’s philosophy: Got a problem, you fix it.
Life had been harsh up to the point Babe boards Renior’s circus train. She had dropped out of school to avoid relentless teasing, was forced to sleep in a barn because she couldn’t sleep in a normal bed and had to wear men’s shoes and shirts. However, life as a “circus freak” is just as degrading and would’ve been unendurable if not for the critters she befriends - an aging bear named Jupiter and a chimpanzee named Euclid. Both have been neglected and under fed. Babe happily moves into the cattle car to sleep with the animals and soon befriends Carlotta, a beautiful dwarf and her pigmy elephant, Egypt.
Babe and Carlotta learn that Renoir is virtually starving circus employees and animals in order to make huge profits for his own pockets. They come up with a plan to run away. From that point, the action, tension and intrigue turn up a notch. How the little group of Oddities and Curiosities - including a pigmy elephant, chimpanzee, and bear - manage to escape circus life and the avenging Renior is the stuff of great plotting. Marvelous ending. Highly recommend this book.
Once again Randall Platt has captured the spirit and individuality of a youth pitted against extraordinary odds of existence. Fern Marie Killingsworth, born Jan 2, 1882, was barely a year old when she began growing at an alarming rate due to a condition called gigantism. In the opening pages Babe, Fern’s nickname, is fourteen years old, stands 6 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 343 pounds. She is an eye witness to her father’s dickering with circus director, Professor Renoir, about contract details involving her participation in “Renior’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities and Delights.”
Platt does not write with pity, but rather shows Babe’s self-acceptance and determination to make the best of her life while taking care of “critters.” Further, this author is not so concerned with political correctness that she avoids writing authentically in the language of the times and circumstance of a story. I found that added greatly to the story. She adds just the right amount of humor to make Babe’s situation bearable. Babe’s philosophy: Got a problem, you fix it.
Life had been harsh up to the point Babe boards Renior’s circus train. She had dropped out of school to avoid relentless teasing, was forced to sleep in a barn because she couldn’t sleep in a normal bed and had to wear men’s shoes and shirts. However, life as a “circus freak” is just as degrading and would’ve been unendurable if not for the critters she befriends - an aging bear named Jupiter and a chimpanzee named Euclid. Both have been neglected and under fed. Babe happily moves into the cattle car to sleep with the animals and soon befriends Carlotta, a beautiful dwarf and her pigmy elephant, Egypt.
Babe and Carlotta learn that Renoir is virtually starving circus employees and animals in order to make huge profits for his own pockets. They come up with a plan to run away. From that point, the action, tension and intrigue turn up a notch. How the little group of Oddities and Curiosities - including a pigmy elephant, chimpanzee, and bear - manage to escape circus life and the avenging Renior is the stuff of great plotting. Marvelous ending. Highly recommend this book.
Read
August 4, 2019Freud said, “Anatomy is Destiny.” So here we have Babe, Randell Platt’s protagonist in Professor Renoir’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights, a big girl with a bigger heart. It’s 1896, Babe’s 14 years old, close to 7 feet tall and 330 pounds, wears men’s clothing, and her daddy makes her sleep out in the barn on straw. She’s not upset about having a barn bedroom. We learn pretty quick that Babe is adaptable. It’s not a hardship to her, it’s puts her closer to “critters” she loves and, we find out as the novel unfolds, has an abounding empathy for.
So we get to know Babe a bit before she is sold into slavery. Well, not exactly slavery but close enough: her dad gets money from the ringleader of a flea-bag circus act. Professor Renoir wants Babe in his circus and, even innocent and somewhat naïve Babe knows, it’s not to train her to be a ballerina dancing on galloping Arabian horses. Her destiny is about to happen, and, while having a little trepidation, she’s excited for her new life to begin.
She is soon tossed into the maelstrom of fringe circus life in middle America. She’s awkward and stumbling but her gentle personality shines through and the other circus people, including a dwarf and fortune reader, grow to care for her. Animals too. She is drawn to a chimp, a bear and an elephant. They are all in trouble from the miserly Professor Renoir.
I see thematic bits of “The Immigration Story” and “Strangers in a Strange Land” here, but if I was to categorize the thematic connection to myth and literature I’d say this is the Ugly Duckling story in inverse proportion. And with a delightful twist; what happens when a passel of ugly ducklings, an odd mix of society’s un-fittest, are tossed into a survival situation together? Can they evolve with each other? Can the un-fittest, transform themselves into the fittest? Darwin, don’t fail me now.
Randall Platt certainly hasn’t failed me. I’ve only recently become interested in YA Lit but with writers like Randall Platt pointing the way, it’s bound to be rewarding.
Full disclosure: I received a pre-publication copy of Professor Renoir’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights for an honest review. It was the best bargain I got all year.
So we get to know Babe a bit before she is sold into slavery. Well, not exactly slavery but close enough: her dad gets money from the ringleader of a flea-bag circus act. Professor Renoir wants Babe in his circus and, even innocent and somewhat naïve Babe knows, it’s not to train her to be a ballerina dancing on galloping Arabian horses. Her destiny is about to happen, and, while having a little trepidation, she’s excited for her new life to begin.
She is soon tossed into the maelstrom of fringe circus life in middle America. She’s awkward and stumbling but her gentle personality shines through and the other circus people, including a dwarf and fortune reader, grow to care for her. Animals too. She is drawn to a chimp, a bear and an elephant. They are all in trouble from the miserly Professor Renoir.
I see thematic bits of “The Immigration Story” and “Strangers in a Strange Land” here, but if I was to categorize the thematic connection to myth and literature I’d say this is the Ugly Duckling story in inverse proportion. And with a delightful twist; what happens when a passel of ugly ducklings, an odd mix of society’s un-fittest, are tossed into a survival situation together? Can they evolve with each other? Can the un-fittest, transform themselves into the fittest? Darwin, don’t fail me now.
Randall Platt certainly hasn’t failed me. I’ve only recently become interested in YA Lit but with writers like Randall Platt pointing the way, it’s bound to be rewarding.
Full disclosure: I received a pre-publication copy of Professor Renoir’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights for an honest review. It was the best bargain I got all year.
June 12, 2019
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Randi Platt has given us yet another fun, colorful historical adventure showcasing characters at the fringes of society. Similar to her earlier novel, The Likes of Me, which featured an albino protagonist, Professor Renoir’s Collection of Curiosities and Delights serves up both a giant (Babe) and a dwarf (Lotty). The two heroes navigate the outlandish world of Professor Renoir’s circus as it travels across America in the closing years of the 19th Century.
The novel centers around Babe, who is more or less auctioned off by her father to Professor Renoir and his traveling circus. Babe doesn’t seem to mind much, as she can now be free of her father, earn some money, and see the wider world. But her entry into the circus isn’t appreciated by everybody.
Right off the bat, Lotty, who is Renoir’s current star act, feels threatened by Babe’s presence and sets out to ensure that Babe’s act fails. But the ensuing back and forth battles between the two eventually give way to a burgeoning friendship, as the outcasts realize that while they are physically polar opposites, they have more in common on the inside than they first imagined.
I won’t spoil much of the story here, but I will say that Platt excels in multiple areas, not the least of which is the slow and careful building of well-rounded characters that the reader comes to care for deeply. She has a gift for portraying the ostracized and the belittled, whether it is the carnies themselves or the numerous animals who come into Babe and Lotty’s care.
Platt’s deep understanding of the language of both the era and the carnival are also on display, adding layers of depth to the story and quite a bit of amusement. Babe is not only new to the carnival, but she is also new to adult life (she’s only fourteen). There are dozens of passages where her naivete regarding both adult and carny terminology caused me to laugh out loud.
If you haven’t read Platt, Professor Renoir’s is a fine place to start, and it serves as an excellent follow-up to her Washington State Book Award nominated The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die.
Randi Platt has given us yet another fun, colorful historical adventure showcasing characters at the fringes of society. Similar to her earlier novel, The Likes of Me, which featured an albino protagonist, Professor Renoir’s Collection of Curiosities and Delights serves up both a giant (Babe) and a dwarf (Lotty). The two heroes navigate the outlandish world of Professor Renoir’s circus as it travels across America in the closing years of the 19th Century.
The novel centers around Babe, who is more or less auctioned off by her father to Professor Renoir and his traveling circus. Babe doesn’t seem to mind much, as she can now be free of her father, earn some money, and see the wider world. But her entry into the circus isn’t appreciated by everybody.
Right off the bat, Lotty, who is Renoir’s current star act, feels threatened by Babe’s presence and sets out to ensure that Babe’s act fails. But the ensuing back and forth battles between the two eventually give way to a burgeoning friendship, as the outcasts realize that while they are physically polar opposites, they have more in common on the inside than they first imagined.
I won’t spoil much of the story here, but I will say that Platt excels in multiple areas, not the least of which is the slow and careful building of well-rounded characters that the reader comes to care for deeply. She has a gift for portraying the ostracized and the belittled, whether it is the carnies themselves or the numerous animals who come into Babe and Lotty’s care.
Platt’s deep understanding of the language of both the era and the carnival are also on display, adding layers of depth to the story and quite a bit of amusement. Babe is not only new to the carnival, but she is also new to adult life (she’s only fourteen). There are dozens of passages where her naivete regarding both adult and carny terminology caused me to laugh out loud.
If you haven’t read Platt, Professor Renoir’s is a fine place to start, and it serves as an excellent follow-up to her Washington State Book Award nominated The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die.
July 2, 2020
Randall Platt writes books for "adults and young adults and those who don't own up to being either". Here she has written a book about Fern "Babe" Killingsworth, who, at fourteen years of age (in 1896) is six foot nine, and three hundred fifty pounds of muscle. She lives in a backwater Oregon town where she is teased and picked on by other kids. She was expelled from school during her second try
As the story begins, her father sells her to "Professor" Renoir, operator of a fleabitten carnie on its last legs. The carnie features a trio of hooch dancers, JoJo the pinhead, Madame de la Rosa the fortune teller, and an act featuring dwarf Carlotta Jones and pygmy elephant Egypt. The first half, roughly, of the book deals with Babe's attempts to fit in with carnie life, and her eventual exit with Carlotta, Egypt, and a pair of decripit animals - Jupiter the bear and Euclid, "the world's smartest" chimpanzee.
The second half deals with her attempts to fit in with a household mostly consisting of retired carnies. Carlotta's aunt, also a dwarf, runs a lumber mill in southern Oregon, and welcomes the five of them with open arms.
Babe works wonders both in the carnie and at the aunt's house, but in neither place does she have a feeling of belonging. There's a happy ending as she finds a place where she does fit in and isrespected, but it takes place off stage and is described only in a pair of letters that form the last chapter.
The book is warm and funny, treating all its characters with a great deal of respect (even as their situation does not). It explores carnie life and after in ways that I have never seen before - this is no "Toby Tyler". I enjoyed it a great deal and will probably pick up something elseby Ms.Platt in the future.
As the story begins, her father sells her to "Professor" Renoir, operator of a fleabitten carnie on its last legs. The carnie features a trio of hooch dancers, JoJo the pinhead, Madame de la Rosa the fortune teller, and an act featuring dwarf Carlotta Jones and pygmy elephant Egypt. The first half, roughly, of the book deals with Babe's attempts to fit in with carnie life, and her eventual exit with Carlotta, Egypt, and a pair of decripit animals - Jupiter the bear and Euclid, "the world's smartest" chimpanzee.
The second half deals with her attempts to fit in with a household mostly consisting of retired carnies. Carlotta's aunt, also a dwarf, runs a lumber mill in southern Oregon, and welcomes the five of them with open arms.
Babe works wonders both in the carnie and at the aunt's house, but in neither place does she have a feeling of belonging. There's a happy ending as she finds a place where she does fit in and isrespected, but it takes place off stage and is described only in a pair of letters that form the last chapter.
The book is warm and funny, treating all its characters with a great deal of respect (even as their situation does not). It explores carnie life and after in ways that I have never seen before - this is no "Toby Tyler". I enjoyed it a great deal and will probably pick up something elseby Ms.Platt in the future.
June 15, 2019
I was gifted an ARC of “Professor Renoir’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights” in exchange for a review. And while, initially, the character of Babe Killingsworth seemed a little hokey, she soon endeared herself to me just as she does the many engaging characters (homosapiens and animals) that populate Randall Platt’s latest YA novel. Beginning in a small “jerkwater” Idaho town in the 1890s, Babe’s journey from ridiculed local freak to the confident hero of her own promising future, will touch your heart too.
Of course when Babe—a compassionate but easily angered, 7’ fourteen year old—is sold to a traveling carnival (and not for the first time) by her verbally abusive father, it’s hard to imagine any happy ending for her. Except for the use of her exceptional strength, the only thing Babe’s good at is comforting the carnival animals—especially an old chimp, elephant and bear who suffer at the hand of feckless Professor Renoir, owner, handler and ringmaster of the bankrupt moth-eaten carnival. Purchased as a novelty and marketed as “Magnifica, Queen of the Amazons,” Babe must also deal with her own increasing size. And mortality—time isn’t kind to giants, and neither are growing pains. Fortunately, Babe leads with her heart and as the circus train takes the roustabouts, cooks and entertainers into small communities in Idaho and Oregon, Babe’s relationships with Carlotta Jones, World’s Smallest Dwarf, and the exotic fortune-teller Madame de la Rosa, deepen and embolden her. When Renoir conspires to steal from them, while threatening the aged animals with taxidermy, Babe vows to save her carnival “family.”
Babe and Lotty buy their freedom, and find a secure nurturing home with a retired “freak,” and all appears well. But even a good home can’t stop an old friend from dying. And are the performers really out of danger? Was Renoir’s contract legit? And finally, will a home off the road be enough for our restless young protagonist?
All will be revealed (and more!) when you leave your cynicism at the door and curl up with Randall Platt’s charming “Professor Renoir’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights,” a timeless story with a feminist twist.
Of course when Babe—a compassionate but easily angered, 7’ fourteen year old—is sold to a traveling carnival (and not for the first time) by her verbally abusive father, it’s hard to imagine any happy ending for her. Except for the use of her exceptional strength, the only thing Babe’s good at is comforting the carnival animals—especially an old chimp, elephant and bear who suffer at the hand of feckless Professor Renoir, owner, handler and ringmaster of the bankrupt moth-eaten carnival. Purchased as a novelty and marketed as “Magnifica, Queen of the Amazons,” Babe must also deal with her own increasing size. And mortality—time isn’t kind to giants, and neither are growing pains. Fortunately, Babe leads with her heart and as the circus train takes the roustabouts, cooks and entertainers into small communities in Idaho and Oregon, Babe’s relationships with Carlotta Jones, World’s Smallest Dwarf, and the exotic fortune-teller Madame de la Rosa, deepen and embolden her. When Renoir conspires to steal from them, while threatening the aged animals with taxidermy, Babe vows to save her carnival “family.”
Babe and Lotty buy their freedom, and find a secure nurturing home with a retired “freak,” and all appears well. But even a good home can’t stop an old friend from dying. And are the performers really out of danger? Was Renoir’s contract legit? And finally, will a home off the road be enough for our restless young protagonist?
All will be revealed (and more!) when you leave your cynicism at the door and curl up with Randall Platt’s charming “Professor Renoir’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights,” a timeless story with a feminist twist.
June 24, 2019
First will state that I received an Advance Reading Copy of the book from Randall Platt in exchange for a fair review.
I choose not to disclose the plot of the book in this review as some others have done.
On the surface it seems a simple story, but as the story evolves, its subject matter goes much deeper in emotion and topics. Ms. Platt explains as a post script to the book, that she works very hard to use the common language of the time period in which her story takes place. This use of language transports the reader to being a part of the story, not just an observer.
The story is a complicated one of friendship, diversity, old time carnies, with doses of fear, angst and sheer determination as two young girls work together to change their destinies.
It provides many opportunities for classroom discussion about very relevant topics and concerns facing not only Young Adult Readers, but mature adults as well. Readers are given a glimpse into the life of the carnies/traveling circuses of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest myself, I thoroughly enjoy reading the references to towns and events known to me. Ms. Platt's love for the NW and her attention to detail is evidenced throughout the book.
I look forward to reading her next book!
I choose not to disclose the plot of the book in this review as some others have done.
On the surface it seems a simple story, but as the story evolves, its subject matter goes much deeper in emotion and topics. Ms. Platt explains as a post script to the book, that she works very hard to use the common language of the time period in which her story takes place. This use of language transports the reader to being a part of the story, not just an observer.
The story is a complicated one of friendship, diversity, old time carnies, with doses of fear, angst and sheer determination as two young girls work together to change their destinies.
It provides many opportunities for classroom discussion about very relevant topics and concerns facing not only Young Adult Readers, but mature adults as well. Readers are given a glimpse into the life of the carnies/traveling circuses of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest myself, I thoroughly enjoy reading the references to towns and events known to me. Ms. Platt's love for the NW and her attention to detail is evidenced throughout the book.
I look forward to reading her next book!
July 23, 2019
Happy Pub Day to this absolute gem!!
How is it even possible that this was my first Randall Platt adventure!? If it hadn't been for Harper Collins Canada this fantastic book wouldn't have been on my radar.
Professor Renoir's Collection Of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights is seriously brilliant and I loved every minute of this story! The year is 1896 and a Traveling Carnival is coming into town. The main character, Babe Killingsworth completely stole my heart. Fourteen years old, a height of 6 foot 9 and weighing in at 342 lbs Babe has had her struggles. Teased by her peers and unable to fit at a classroom desk Babe is unable to attend school. Her years of living in a barn come to an end when her Pa sells her off to a cheap carnie, Professor Phillipe Renoir. From here the adventure truly begins.
The characters in this story are so diverse. Especially seeing as three of them include a chimp named Euclid, a bear named Jupiter and a pygmy elephant named Egypt. I very much enjoyed the storyline, along with it's many triumphs and challenges.
Will Babe find her place in the world? Friendships? Self worth? You'll have to pick up this book to find out.
Huge thank you to Harper Collins Canada/Harper Collins Children's Books for my review copy.
How is it even possible that this was my first Randall Platt adventure!? If it hadn't been for Harper Collins Canada this fantastic book wouldn't have been on my radar.
Professor Renoir's Collection Of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights is seriously brilliant and I loved every minute of this story! The year is 1896 and a Traveling Carnival is coming into town. The main character, Babe Killingsworth completely stole my heart. Fourteen years old, a height of 6 foot 9 and weighing in at 342 lbs Babe has had her struggles. Teased by her peers and unable to fit at a classroom desk Babe is unable to attend school. Her years of living in a barn come to an end when her Pa sells her off to a cheap carnie, Professor Phillipe Renoir. From here the adventure truly begins.
The characters in this story are so diverse. Especially seeing as three of them include a chimp named Euclid, a bear named Jupiter and a pygmy elephant named Egypt. I very much enjoyed the storyline, along with it's many triumphs and challenges.
Will Babe find her place in the world? Friendships? Self worth? You'll have to pick up this book to find out.
Huge thank you to Harper Collins Canada/Harper Collins Children's Books for my review copy.
July 23, 2019
One of Randall Platts greatest storytelling features is her voice. Each character is unique and memorable. As is Babe, Queen of the Amazons, a fourteen-year-old who is six-foot-nine inches. Can you recall oddities in your childhood years? I can! And Platt grabbed those years and made them come alive in this tale of carnival hoopla. Babe deals with her height, the pains that come with it, and her desire for acceptance and family.
What better way than relationships with animals to help her cope with abandonment and fear and acceptance in a world of misfits. That and her extra small friend, Charlotte, when they aren't competing for the spotlight. Platt gives an authentic account of carny life in the very late 1800s.
While I know from working with youth, this book will be a huge hit. The only concern I have as a retired educator is the light dusting of cuss words, the only reason I marked this book down as it is listed as for grades 3 and age 8 and up. If I could give the book a 4.5 I would. I would for sure keep this at a teen reading level for this reason.
I have been gifted an Advanced Review Copy of Professor "Renoir’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights" in exchange for an honest review.
What better way than relationships with animals to help her cope with abandonment and fear and acceptance in a world of misfits. That and her extra small friend, Charlotte, when they aren't competing for the spotlight. Platt gives an authentic account of carny life in the very late 1800s.
While I know from working with youth, this book will be a huge hit. The only concern I have as a retired educator is the light dusting of cuss words, the only reason I marked this book down as it is listed as for grades 3 and age 8 and up. If I could give the book a 4.5 I would. I would for sure keep this at a teen reading level for this reason.
I have been gifted an Advanced Review Copy of Professor "Renoir’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights" in exchange for an honest review.
June 17, 2019
I've enjoyed Randall Platt's books for a long time. I first encountered her through her Fe-As-Ko series of stories after meeting her at a Pacific Northwest Writers Association conference. I subsequently participated in a weekend writers workshop she facilitated (which was wonderful, btw), and have looked forward to each of her books as they've come out. Also in the interest of full disclosure, I received an Advance Reading Copy of this book in exchange for a fair review. And I will be honest and fair in my assessment: I thoroughly enjoyed the adventures of Babe and Carlotta and the rest of the carnies as well as the elephant, the bear, and the chimp. It's a fast-paced, engaging tale that I simply didn't want to put down, so finished it quickly... which left me wanting more. I highly recommend this rollicking adventure. You'll undoubtedly find yourself, as I did, rooting hard for its unlikely heroines, a giant and a dwarf with hearts of gold. (And... perhaps most important of all... my 12-year old granddaughter loved this story too!)
July 10, 2019
Lions and Tigers and Bears
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Wait, make that elephant, chimpanzee and bear. Add a giant of a girl whose name is Babe and her diminutive friend, Carlotta, and you have gathered the most interesting of the peculiar, outlandish, eccentric and sometimes lost and forlorn characters of the traveling carnival who are Professor Renoir’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights. In exchange for a fair review, I received an Advance Reader’s Edition of this book by Randall Platt. I could never have imagined such a tale, but Platt could! This book has it all: lessons in friendship, love, loss and trust as experienced by Babe and Carlotta. I recommend you read this book and follow the surprising adventure that unfolds as the carnival train pulls them, along with their beloved animals, to places, people and experiences they could not have dreamed in their wildest dreams.
Beverly Lionberger Hodgins, Editor
Women Writing the West Catalog of Authors' Books
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Wait, make that elephant, chimpanzee and bear. Add a giant of a girl whose name is Babe and her diminutive friend, Carlotta, and you have gathered the most interesting of the peculiar, outlandish, eccentric and sometimes lost and forlorn characters of the traveling carnival who are Professor Renoir’s Collection of Oddities, Curiosities, and Delights. In exchange for a fair review, I received an Advance Reader’s Edition of this book by Randall Platt. I could never have imagined such a tale, but Platt could! This book has it all: lessons in friendship, love, loss and trust as experienced by Babe and Carlotta. I recommend you read this book and follow the surprising adventure that unfolds as the carnival train pulls them, along with their beloved animals, to places, people and experiences they could not have dreamed in their wildest dreams.
Beverly Lionberger Hodgins, Editor
Women Writing the West Catalog of Authors' Books
Read
November 26, 2019"There's a big difference between growing up, growing confident, and growing cocky."
I'm not sure what to make of this one. I was riveted by the story. Readers can't help but root for Babe and her fellow curious cast of circus characters and animals.
But I could have gone for a lot more meat in the end notes - more resources for kids who want to learn more about animal advocacy, more about the disability community. Instead the author says "At least some of the power has shifted recently... and individuals with mental and physical differences and disabilities have more rights today than ever before."
Okay, yes, and people with ashtma are being blamed for worldwide pollution. Obviously we've still got a lot of work to do.
The author then explains why she uses derrogatory slang throughout the story and ends with "It's my hope that this information will add to the reader's enjoyment and understanding of this book."
What information? Where?
I'm not sure what to make of this one. I was riveted by the story. Readers can't help but root for Babe and her fellow curious cast of circus characters and animals.
But I could have gone for a lot more meat in the end notes - more resources for kids who want to learn more about animal advocacy, more about the disability community. Instead the author says "At least some of the power has shifted recently... and individuals with mental and physical differences and disabilities have more rights today than ever before."
Okay, yes, and people with ashtma are being blamed for worldwide pollution. Obviously we've still got a lot of work to do.
The author then explains why she uses derrogatory slang throughout the story and ends with "It's my hope that this information will add to the reader's enjoyment and understanding of this book."
What information? Where?
July 1, 2019
I read a Publisher's copy before it came out.
I can always trust the amount of research this author conducts for each book. And it shows in Professor Renoir's Collection of Oddities, Curiosities and Delights. In the 1800s the circus was a destination for many "odd" members of society. They were called the "Carnie Freaks," who endured much hardship. Babe, the girl with gigantism, and Lotty, a dwarf, become an unbeatable duo, against Renoir, the inscrutable circus owner. I appreciate how Platt allows us an inside view of their travails, their accomplishments and ingenuity. Empathy for people who are gifted in other ways, and the animals they nurture, was a lead focus of this book.
I can always trust the amount of research this author conducts for each book. And it shows in Professor Renoir's Collection of Oddities, Curiosities and Delights. In the 1800s the circus was a destination for many "odd" members of society. They were called the "Carnie Freaks," who endured much hardship. Babe, the girl with gigantism, and Lotty, a dwarf, become an unbeatable duo, against Renoir, the inscrutable circus owner. I appreciate how Platt allows us an inside view of their travails, their accomplishments and ingenuity. Empathy for people who are gifted in other ways, and the animals they nurture, was a lead focus of this book.
January 3, 2023
De kinderen waren niet echt fan van het boek. Niet omdat het zwaardere thema’s bevat (vader die geen liefde voelt, uitsluiting omwille van uiterlijk, het boek draait letterlijk om een freakshow), maar omdat het moeilijk was om echt een connectie te voelen met of sympathie te voelen voor veel personages. Wat te verwachten is voor de boemannen van het verhaal, maar tegenvalt wanneer jet om de protagonisten gaat. Drie sterren omdat het toch maar mooi bijleert over het bestaan van freakshows en hoe mensen gezien kunnen worden als minderwaardig en oké om uit te buiten puur op basis van uiterlijk.
September 12, 2019
An interesting read focusing on people that are ostracized for their differences. Babe is a 14-year old "bonafide giant" in the late 1800's, who finds herself in a travelling carnival. She struggles to find her place, but befriends many other characters who are ostracized for being different, as well as lots of animals along the way. I was fascinated to know whether the story was based on actual people, but I can't find much regarding the background, so I think it's purely fictional.
November 23, 2019
4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Unique story with memorable characters living in the late 1800s. A tale of “misfits” and the misunderstood; both human and animals. “Misfits”, Mishaps, and Mistreatment. A glimpse of the “Carnie” lifestyle and its hardships plus unexpected friendships. I loved Babe and Euclid. I did get teary eyed with their relationship.
October 1, 2019
I found this book to be a bit long. I couldn’t connect to the main character ... however, I did get quite a few chuckles in how the main character responded to other characters in the story, and how she loved her animals.
December 28, 2019
Enter the world of a traveling carnival where family can be found in the ODDEST of places. A great combination of characters and circumstances. A great read for middle readers and people of all ages.
May 3, 2019
Excellent book!!!
October 7, 2019
I love all things carnie. This needed more carnie things.
Borrowed from CCL
Borrowed from CCL
October 23, 2019
By her fourteenth birthday, Babe Killingsworth measures 6ʹ9ʺ and weighs 342 pounds. In 1896, what other options does a giant have but to join a carnival?
July 9, 2020
3.5 stars
September 5, 2021
Very odd book but I strangely liked it.
November 15, 2022
This book has so much heart.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews