Sidewalk Circus (Paperback)

~ (Author), Kevin Hawkes (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 5–As posters advertising the world-renowned Garibaldi circus are put up along a busy city block, a girl waiting for a bus watches the circus of everyday life unfold. There is no actual text to the book, just the words of store signs, a scrolling theater marquee, and the show bills. What the girl imagines is revealed through the playful shadows of the people on the street and the corresponding circus flyers. For example, as a chef flips pancakes into the air in the café, the corresponding poster promises "Fantastic feats of juggling." As a young man delivers a side of beef, his shadow is that of the strongman, featured on the neighboring poster. Fleischman has the incredible gift of always finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. To communicate his vision so successfully in a virtually wordless book is an amazing feat, with as much credit due to the illustrator. Hawkes's richly colored acrylic paintings sustain interest and pacing throughout the book, changing perspective, giving readers close-ups and then views further back. Vignettes of the girl waiting on the bench convey her growing sense of wonder as she discovers the parallels with the everyday. Appropriately enough, as she leaves on the bus at the end of the book, her place is taken by a wide-eyed boy who seems destined to find new parallels of his own. This delightful book will fascinate children and help them to see their world with new eyes.–Robin L. Gibson, formerly at Perry County District Library, New Lexington, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* K-Gr. 3. A young girl's downtown bus stop bench turns into a front row seat. "World-Renowned Garibaldi Circus!!! Coming Soon!" the marquee of a theater across the street shouts. But the girl doesn't have to wait. As she watches, an elderly man begins posting banners and signs, and the world transforms into a sidewalk circus. Construction workers balance on beams just like "The Great Teabaldi, Prince of Tightrope Walkers." A deliveryman, bent double under the load of his package, casts a shadow that looks remarkably like "Goliath the Strongman." Two boys' misadventures with their skateboards evoke "The Famous Columbo Clowns." And so it goes until the girl's bus arrives. But don't think that's the end of this adventure; the fun continues after the next turn of the page. Fleischman and Hawkes have produced a magical, inspired collaboration, an almost wordless picture book that is a festival for the imagination. Fleischman's scenes and Hawkes' gorgeous double-page acrylic pictures will tickle the wits and dazzle the eyes of boys and girls of all ages. Step right up! The show is starting! Michael Cart
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (May 8, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076362795X
• ISBN-13: 978-0763627959
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 9.3 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #94,920 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Baby cried the day the circus came to town, November 15, 2004

By	E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Sidewalk Circus (Bccb Blue Ribbon Picture Book Awards (Awards)) (Hardcover)

Huh. That's weird. I'm a pretty easy person to influence. If I read a glowing review of a picture book, I'm far more likely to love it instantaneously upon reading it than, say, view it with a suspicious eye. And the advance word on "Sidewalk Circus" could only be described in one way: glowing. Every reputable children's publication, from Horn Book and Publisher's Weekly to School Library Journal and Bulletin For the Center of Children's Books could only gush and clamor over the beauty that was "Sidewalk Circus". With such remarkably good things said about it, I looked forward to viewing my own copy with quite a bit of anticipation. Maybe I was just setting myself up for disappointment. But when I finally read through this reportedly glorious book I found that it was not the genius work of picture book art I'd come to expect. It's an interesting concept and perhaps a plummy idea. But it's not particularly winning. After I read it I could really only think one thing: Huh. That's weird.

This book is all but wordless, making the action take place entirely in the deft acrylics of illustrator Kevin Hawkes. If you've ever seen Hawkes' fabulous, "Weslandia" then you're familiar with his talents. In the beginning a marquee promotes the following: "COMING SOON...WORLD-RENOWNED...GARIBALDI CIRCUS!!!!....". Across the street from the marquee sits a girl, waiting for the bus. Beneath her eyes, even the most ordinary human being are transformed into circus-related creatures. That construction worker balancing two heavy buckets high above the ground? A tightrope walker, of course. The cook tossing early morning pancakes on a grill? A juggler of highest renown. And what about those window washers that accidentally swing high off the ground? Trapeze artists. In the end the girl gets on her bus, still entranced by her thoughts and a boy takes her place on the bench, creating whole new imaginings of his own.

The idea is very good. And since author Paul Fleischman didn't actually write many words for this tale, he must have closely collaborated with Mr. Hawkes. The ways in which the girl sees everyday people as circus performers is through their shadows. The shadow of an old man posting flyers turns into a magnificent image of a circus ringleader announcing the next act. The problem is, the book's a little messy. The shadow idea appears here and there, then drops off without explanation. It's a little difficult to make out some of the images as well. For example, unless you look very closely, you may not notice the shadow of a big top splayed against a building across from the fascinated girl. There's also an odd sequence involving two clumsy skateboarding youths, a painter, and some window washers that doesn't flow together particularly well. I kept feeling like I was missing something. Sometimes the shadows work splendidly (like the one on the cover) but other times they're actually a little hard to separate from the real life action. Only a kid with a deep-seated conviction that he or she was going to figure out every shot in this book would take much pleasure in the story.

I feel terrible saying this. I mean, everyone and their mother seems to like it. I've heard it bandied about for certain awards and many many people think it's worthwhile reading. And I did attempt to like it. I did. I tried everything in my power to do so. But why on earth are the shadows of the pigeons shaped like toucans? Why do the window washers have difficulties with their rig anyway? Why did the youths' skateboards disappear in one two page spread then reappear all over again on the next? Maybe kids won't notice these inconsistencies but they're bound to be a little puzzled by the story's haphazard action. Take it from me... I wanted to like this book and it certainly had a lot going for it. It just didn't live up to its potential. As picture books go, it's so-so. Not very good. Not very bad. Not very anything. Read it if you like, but consider giving it a glance before making any purchases.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The circus of life!, November 12, 2006

By	Daniel Waisberg (Israel) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Sidewalk Circus (Bccb Blue Ribbon Picture Book Awards (Awards)) (Hardcover)

This book is very successful in linking real world to circus. I think the idea is just wonderful, and the illustrations are exquisite.

The authors show that if we only open our eyes to every-day people, we will see how skillful they are in their jobs. It shows, for example, how a food carrier could be a STRONGMAN in the circus, and how a window cleaner could be a trapezist.

I really agree with the idea, I think the circus is so great because it is a place where we open our eyes and our minds to the human abilities. I believe the book represents Emerson's phrase on his Nature essay: "Nature wears the colors of the spirit."

So if you want your children (and yourself) to start watching and acting in the world, instead of seeing it, this book is a good beginning.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What's Wrong With This Picture?, August 7, 2006

By	Cynthia E. Ramming (Bakersfield, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Sidewalk Circus (Bccb Blue Ribbon Picture Book Awards (Awards)) (Hardcover)

NOTHING! Paul Fleischman has created a story about imagination, about seeing the ordinary world around you with new eyes. It's a story about what COULD be, and about transcending what IS. Kevin Hawkes has given visual life to Mr. Fleischman's concept. It's a book which shows that children still have the capacity to see the world as a place of possibilities, while the adults nearby are oblivious to the wonderful circus of events taking place around them. This book is a masterpiece.

After reading the other reviews posted for this delightful book, I can only observe that those who wrote them are like the adults in this book. As a society, we are accustomed to being entertained out the wazoo. We are passive observers, waiting for someone to "show us a good time." Mr. Fleischman's book takes me back to that time in my life when all I required to have a good time was a summer afternoon and back yard. My imagination supplied the rest. Sidewalk Circus is a great book to help you take out your imagination and dust it off. Buy it today.