The book recreates that excitement of the circus with a fabulous cast of characters. There are touches of David Walliams and Roald Dahl but the style is essentially unique with big doses of humour and wackiness. Although initially Bigger Miss thought the book looked a little boyish, with the main character being a girl, Hannah, she was soon converted. Hannah is gutsy, bright and slightly tomboyish and is very bored (with pretty much everything) until she meets Billy Shank and his camel, Narcissus from the evil Armitage Shanks' Circus where all is definitely not as at seems. The circus is full of brilliant characters like Irrrrrrrena the Russian assistant to Maurice (pronounced Murrggghhhheeece) the French trapeze artist, the ever bickering clown twins Hank and Frank and Jesse the Human Cannonball, who is definitely a bit of a Jesse! In town, Hannah is accompanied by Fizzer the dog and her Granny who we are pretty sure there is more to than meets the eye.
The story is all about what happens when the circus comes to town and Billy reveals Armitage Shanks' evil plans to Hannah. Hannah is determined to stop him but will she be successful? The story follows these two along with a camel, a dog and a cat and the madcap cast of characters. It is a funny and gripping 'rip-roaring' adventure - all helped along by the addition of amusing footnotes which really do add to the book and some great illustrations by David Tazzyman. I would imagine that confident readers from the age of about 7 would enjoy it, although the younger kids may not quite get all the references and jokes and it is definitely one of those that bridges the gap between boys and girls fiction - appealing to both. There are still questions left at the end of the book and it seems there is to be another book - certainly Bigger Miss and I both hope there is! I am not going to delve deeper into the story as that might just give the game away - however there is a spoiler alert in Bigger Miss's book review below so if you don't want to know what happens don't read her review just yet... (all you need to know is she gave it 10/10 - pretty high praise from a 9 year old!)
Bigger Miss's review |
You want to read it now don't you? Well I just happen to have two copies from the lovely people at Simon and Schuster, to give away to a couple of you lucky people so if you think you or yours (it's a good book for adults too) would like to get your sticky mitts on a copy then all you have to do is complete the rafflecopter below. Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book for an honest review and I am not being paid to host this competition.
This looks a lovely book! I will share for you, good luck to the winner.
ReplyDeleteJust by the look of the cover it looks interesting! I'd enter, but little Mr would tear it into pieces at his current stage ;D Good luck to everyone else though!
ReplyDeleteSounds like the sort of book my ten year old would enjoy, will add it to our Amazon wishlist!
ReplyDeleteI don't remember that long ago! Probably something by Roald Dahl.
ReplyDeleteHas to be James and the Giant Peach :D
ReplyDeleteThe Famous Five
ReplyDeleteOh I really like the sound of this, I think my Boo would enjoy it x
ReplyDeleteI loved the Roald Dahl books, they seemed so daring and cheeky when I was younger!
ReplyDeleteI remember a Judy Blume book that made me laugh so hard, I can't for the life of me remember what it was called though! It was awesome x
ReplyDeletecrikey i used to read alot of secret seven books not sure they were that funny though
ReplyDeleteThe funny bones books and my kids love them too!
ReplyDeleteA weird and wonderful heroine? I like the sound of that! My favourites when I was little were the Roald Dahl books - especially The Twits.
ReplyDeleteYou wait until I'm older than you - Michael Rosen
ReplyDeleteA weird and wonderful heroine - I like the sound of that! My favourites were the Roald Dahl books, especially The Twits.
ReplyDeleteThe Beano and Dandy annuals were very funny.
ReplyDeleteSounds like something my nine and seven year old would love! Thanks for the review :)
ReplyDeleteOh and my favourite funny books were definitely Roald Dahl!
ReplyDeleteI cannot chose, I read so much as a child and still do, I have books piled up by my bed waiting!
ReplyDeleteMy best friend actually used to live on a ircus so yes I am kind of fascinated to read this!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a lovely book x
ReplyDeleteCharlie and the Chocolate Factory.
ReplyDeleteMATILDA
ReplyDeletei used to love roald dahl books! this looks fab
ReplyDeleteGeorges marvellous medicine
ReplyDeleteAshleigh
Absolutely loved the Magic Faraway Tree series.
ReplyDeleteI used to get the Beano and Dandy every Christmas and I loved them
ReplyDeleteI loved anything by Roald Dahl.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely adored the Twits.
ReplyDeleteI Loved Milly Molly Mandy, that's showing my age now!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant competition - I loved reading as a child x x
ReplyDeleteCaptain Underpants!
ReplyDeleteEnid Blyton The Famous Five
ReplyDeleteI'm not really a book lover but have friends who are so will share this giveaway with them so they can enter x
ReplyDeleteJustJulie | Beauty Blog
when you give a mouse a cookie :)
ReplyDeleteI would have to say Jacqueline Wilson
ReplyDeleteArmitage Shanks - isn't that a toilet/basin manufacturer?! Creative name for a character
ReplyDeleteArmitage Shanks - isn't that a toilet/basin manufacturer?! Creative name for a character
ReplyDeleteit sounds like a lovely story
ReplyDeleteI love Roald Dahl when I was a child x
ReplyDeleteThis sounds fantastic - I loved Roald Dahl and Jacqueline Wilson when I was younger - plus all the Point Horror and Point Crime books
ReplyDeleteI was a big fan of Roald Dahl when I was younger.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great read! Fab review, thank you. I found The BFG funny when I was younger.
ReplyDeleteI love the title of the book - sounds like one i would like to read myself
ReplyDeletematilda roald dahl
ReplyDeleteRoald Dahl books - especially The Twits
ReplyDeleteEasily has to be Adrian Moles Diary for me
ReplyDeleteThe Twits by Roald Dahl
ReplyDeleteCharlie and the Chocolate Factory
ReplyDeleteThe BFG! :)
ReplyDeleteIt was the 50s and there was very little money for books but I really enjoyed a set of Noddy books bought by Grandma to teach me to read before I started school. She started my love of books that has never faded. Retirement has given me some time to follow my passion but never enough :)
ReplyDeleteI loved the Star Bellied Snetch (or something like that ) Dr Seuss
ReplyDeleteI use to love spot the dog
ReplyDeletethe twits - roald dahl :)
ReplyDeleteGeorge Speaks :)
ReplyDeleteI can't remember now ;s
ReplyDeleteI always used to love the Worst Witch series
ReplyDeleteCharlie and the Chocolate Factory
ReplyDeleteThe twits
ReplyDeleteI used to love anything by Enid Blyton-The Famous Five, Secret Seven, Malory Towers etc!
ReplyDelete