Who Put the B in the Ballyhoo? [Hardcover]

Carlyn Beccia (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Before the days of TV, DVDs, and video games, there was the circus. When it came to town, businesses and schools would shut down. Folks would gather round, for there, right in front of their eyes, was drama, action, and intrigue. There was the grace ofthe bareback rider, the daring of the acrobat, the strangeness of the snake lady, and the delight of the dancing pigs.

Vintage-style circus posters capture the weird and the wonderful while fascinating sidebars reveal historical truths behind America’s circuses. What was it like when the circus came to town? This book, illustrated in rich oils, gives us a ringside seat.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4–This is a visually appealing, well-designed, clearly written, but ultimately problematic book. Beccia uses mixed-media digital art to create a tribute to the circus. Although the book jacket states that this book will take readers back to a time when the circus was a primary form of entertainment, no other expository material is provided to indicate when, where, or if this is an accurate statement. The framed, full-page illustrations are intended to resemble circus posters, but the identical retro feel comes across whether the act depicted is from the 1830s or the 1980s. The posters are arranged alphabetically, although the words selected to represent each letter are rarely exclusively circus related, other than the B is for Ballyhoo. There is no chronological order, and while years are sometimes mentioned in the brief sentences underneath the posters, often they are not. Posters feature Siamese twins, a bearded lady, and a contortionist. There is no much-needed introduction or afterword to place things in historical perspective. The book certainly serves as a colorful introduction, but a more balanced view of the circus experience is called for.–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

From "A is for awesome, / A show for all ages / Death defying acts / and strange beasts in cages" to Z for a zippy trip to the next town, Beccia celebrates the grand old days of the traveling circus with an alphabet of typical acts and great performers of the past. Each nearly full-page circus-poster-style illustration, with an amplifying caption squeezed beneath, features a stylishly posed figure or group, labeled in ornately lettered text that promises marvels and wonders never before seen. What better way to evoke the Big Top's historical enticements as well as to introduce the likes of Annie Oakley, Harry Houdini, the Flying Wallendas--or, for that matter, Jumbo the elephant, 772-pound "Ravishing Ruth" Pontico, and the bearded "Lady Esau"? Step right up. John Peters
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children; None edition (April 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618717188
• ISBN-13: 978-0618717187
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,101,571 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Carlyn Beccia is the author and illustrator of Who Put the B in the Ballyhoo?,Houghton Mifflin, an alphabet book illustrating the most famous circus stars throughout history. Her latest book, The Raucous Royals uncovers the biggest true and untrue rumors throughout European history. She describes it as a 'history lesson meets tabloid magazine'. Carlyn enjoys telling the stories behind the people who changed history and strives to make history exciting for all ages.

She attended the University of Massachusetts on a 4-year art scholarship and graduated in 1995. She worked as a graphic designer for 10 years before returning to her first love ' illustration. In 2005, Carlyn was the Grand Prize Portfolio Winner in the Society of Children's Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) portfolio exhibition. In 2006, she was awarded a certificate of merit in The Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles, Illustration West 44 Annual and was also the Grand Prize Portfolio Winner in the New England, Society of Children's Writers & Illustrators (NEW ENGLAND SCBWI) portfolio exhibition.

Carlyn paints with 'digital oil brushes' to create a unique and deeply textured art. She enjoys giving live demonstrations of how art is created on the computer and encourages kids to experiment with the digital medium.

Download a full teacher's guide at:
www.whoballyhoo.com/teachingcurr1.pdf

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING!, March 30, 2007

By 

Gina Pacelli - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Who Put the B in the Ballyhoo? (Hardcover)

When I handed the book to my four year old nephew, he responded, "Oh, it's just a book" as he chucked it to the side. A few minutes later I was able to have him sit with me while I showed him the pictures and read him the rhymes. He became captivated by the images and wanted to show everyone who was with us. He brought the book over to his grandmother so she could read it to him as well. The pictures are so beautiful that even the antsiest child will want to see what is next, while the adult sharing the book with the child is blown away by the artwork. This book is a complete hit!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kids will find it a colorful, fun survey of the circus atmosphere of yesterday., June 10, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Who Put the B in the Ballyhoo? (Hardcover)

Many books offer circus insights, but this WHO PUT THE BI N THE BALLYHOO is different: it uses the author's background in graphic design and advertising and pairs this with her interest in vintage circus advertisements to provide a colorful blend of full-page artistic posters describing circus acts with commentary on each circus legend. Kids will find it a colorful, fun survey of the circus atmosphere of yesterday.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning book of circuses past, April 26, 2007

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Who Put the B in the Ballyhoo? (Hardcover)

Step right up and see the best children's book ever to captivate the minds and hearts of adults!

That is how the ballyhoo barker in Who Put the B in the Ballyhoo? might attract readers to this brilliant and colorful poster book by Carlyn Beccia.

While this book is presented as an alphabet book for grades 1-5, it is just as attractive and enjoyable as an adult's coffee table book. Beccia's posters represent the last 200 years of circus legends, along with humorous rhymes and fascinating historical information. It all made me forget that this is an alphabet book! It is more like a museum on the printed page. The collection of posters inside is a good introduction to circus history for anyone. My grandfather and father excitedly waited for the circus trains to come to town in eastern Ohio in the 19th and early 20th centuries. They met the train with their friends and helped set up the tents and care for the elephants, earning free tickets to the shows. Today, reading Beccia's book, I see part of what they experienced--and it is priceless.

This book contains so much intriguing material that I want to visit the circus museums in the United States and read the related Web sites. The content will likely move children in the same direction and increase their reading interests. Its posters and text describe the Strongman, the Bearded Lady, the Siamese Twins, Patty's Dancing Pigs, flea circuses, boxing kangaroos, tigers, elephants, parades, and acrobats that hang by their hair. It even shows The Flying Wallendas, whom I have seen on TV.

Carlyn Beccia is a talented children's book illustrator that stretched her talent to provide this entertaining volume. In it, she has included material from P.T. Barnum, four historical books about circus histories, an A & E Television Network special called Histories Mysteries: Circus Freaks and Sideshows, and The Dime Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.

Armchair Interviews says: Who Put the B in the Ballyhoo? is a priceless treat for readers of all ages and a collection that will become a classic to hand down through the generations.