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Circus Family Dog
Grumps is a circus dog who loves to make people laugh--all he has to do is lie down on the ground with his feet in the air and the crowds cheer and roar. But one day a new dog named Sparks joins the circus. Sparks can jump through hoops, balance a ball on his nose, and even ride on the back of a running zebra. How can an old dog with one simple trick compete with the likes of Sparks? Sue Truesdell's exuberant illustrations capture all the excitement of circus life in this heartwarming story about friendship, family, and the universal need for acceptance.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 17, 2000
5 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Clements
139 books2,225 followersI was born in Camden, New Jersey in 1949 and lived in Oaklyn and Cherry Hill until the middle of sixth grade. Then we moved to Springfield, Illinois. My parents were avid readers and they gave that love of books and reading to me and to all my brothers and sisters. I didn’t think about being a writer at all back then, but I did love to read. I'm certain there's a link between reading good books and becoming a writer. I don't know a single writer who wasn’t a reader first.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 11, 2012
This book is really cute!! Circus Family Dog tells the tale of a circus troop, which is "like a family, and old Grumps is the family dog." Normally, Grumps is the star of the show, rolling over and sleeping instead of jumping through the hoop, making the kids laugh and cheer. But when a new, younger, more talented dog is brought to the circus, Grumps is unhappy. Every day he works and works to be able to jump through the hoop, and he finaly does on the last day fo the fair. This is truly a cute story about a tight-knit family. Even though there was a new dog in the circus, Grumps was still the family dog, and they whole circus troop loved eachother. Very cute pictures too, and a very easy/fun read.
December 7, 2020
I thoroughly enjoy the pen of Andrew Clements. This book is not aimed at the middle-grade audience, but rather will appeal to the even younger reader. This short read with wonderful illustrations by Sue Truesdell features Grumps, a circus dog who performs as part of the clown act. Grumps only knows one trick, but it is a crowd pleasure. Until one day……. It is not my favorite book from Andrew Clements, but it is a funny bedtime story for little circus fans.
November 11, 2011
I would use this book to talk about predictions. I would ask the students if they think the old dog Grumps will learn how to jump through the hoop. I would also talk about how practice is the best way to learn new things and to practice old skills.
April 20, 2018
Grumps the dog only knew one trick, and that was to lay on his back with his feet in the air. When Sparks, a new puppy, joins the circus, he knew plenty of tricks. Grumps tries to learn some new tricks, but it was soon discovered that a circus is like a family, and old Grumps was the family dog, and everyone liked him just the way he was.
May 31, 2017
Read for Circus Storytime May 31, 2017 - a little longer than I would normally read, but the kids were really into it. There was one little boy (G) who was sitting with wide eyes and both hands covering his open mouth as he waited to see if Grumps could make it through the hoop - best moment of my week so far!
February 8, 2020
Lovely little story about the circus dog who, although old, can certainly learn a new trick or two.
December 10, 2022
I hate the circus but liked the dog drawings
October 1, 2024
Grumps, the low performing circus dog decides he can do better. A fun, lively story for little people.
March 15, 2016
Grumps, the old circus dog has one trick, and that's yawning and rolling over with his paws up in the air in front of a burning hoop. When Sparks, the young little circus dog, jumps through the hoop he steals the show and the hearts of the audience. Grumps is miserable and practices every day, until the last night of the circus. On that night he jumps through the hoop after Sparks, and every loves Grumps. And although, Grumps never jumped through the hoop again, he was always appreciated because the circus is like a family.
March 18, 2016
Grumps, the old circus dog has one trick, and that's yawning and rolling over with his paws up in the air in front of a burning hoop. When Sparks, the young little circus dog, jumps through the hoop he steals the show and the hearts of the audience. Grumps is miserable and practices every day, until the last night of the circus. On that night he jumps through the hoop after Sparks, and every loves Grumps. And although, Grumps never jumped through the hoop again, he was always appreciated because the circus is like a family.
September 15, 2008
What a appealing read! Grumps, the old circus dog feels usurped by Sparks, the new circus dog. The dogs reminded me a lot of my old dog and my young dog and so I was charmed with the spot-on canine expressions captured perfectly in art reminiscent of those great George Booth cartoons in the New Yorker magazine. Besides the fabulous art, the story is a wonderful read with a satisfying ending.
October 23, 2012
Routines are good to have, but sometimes things need to be shaken up a bit. That's the case with the circus family dog who wants to prove he can do something other than what is expected. The outcome proves to be an emotional twist about how family will always try to keep each other smiling and happy.
March 9, 2016
Grumps is a one-trick dogs at the circus. His trick is pretty much avoiding jumping through a hoop of fire. But one day, a young spry dogs is brought in and he gladly jumps through the hoop, disrupting Grumps' happily life. Grumps practices and practices and finally gets his old bones through the hoop and wows everyone at the Big Show.
Cute illustrations.
Cute illustrations.
October 7, 2008
I really like this book. My kids were lukewarm about it. We only read it when I suggest it. That is the only reason I haven't given it five stars. But I think it's such a sweet story with a lot of emotional heft, told in a simple and enjoyable way.
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March 9, 2011Such a nice book to share issues with acceptance. The book spans species to show students that they may not be the only ones with acceptance issues. Another book that could open critical thinking lines.
November 29, 2012
Grumps is an old circus dog who lies around and doesn't do much. The circus family gets a new puppy, which challenges Grumps to try to outdo the new member. I liked that Grumps tries to better himself, but he accepts the pup in the end.
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December 6, 2010Book about a dog that doesn't do the tricks just right, but with practice he wins the crowd because after all he is the family dog.
March 31, 2011
Cute, I like the story about the dog more then the circus bit.
February 26, 2013
Old dog learns a new trick for the circus. Not sure the plot is consistent enough and doesn't make sense in the end. The payoff feels off.
January 8, 2015
This story would correlate nicely with a discussion on setting goals, trying new things, and practicing.
August 28, 2015
What's not to love - dogs and a circus!
October 1, 2015
A simple story with nice pictures.
August 2, 2022
Two Sentence Review: I adore the illustrations as they are so very lively! While I could predict the ending since I'm an older reader, I found it a very enjoyable read nonetheless.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews