Thematic Lists

Can circus change the world? Award-winning author Cynthia Levinson reveals the inspiring real-life stories of Black and white American kids and Jewish and Arab kids from Israel as they join forces to learn from each other and create remarkable circus performances. Welcome to the world of social circus-a movement that brings kids from different worlds together to perform amazing acts on a professional level! Watch from your seats as we follow the participants of two specific circuses- Circus Harmony in St. Louis, whose participants are inner-city and suburban Black and white kids, and Circus Galilee in Israel, whose participants are Jewish and Arab. The members may be from different demographics, different races, and different religions, but they work together to learn not how to overcome assumptions, animosity, and obstacles, and also to put their trust in the hands of people who may be very different from themselves. Featuring in-depth one-on-one interviews, extensive research, and engaging storytelling, this inspiring book highlights stories of collaboration, compromise, and overcoming obstacles. Includes informational sidebars and photographs throughout.

Even though his awful Great-Aunt Gertrudis doesn't approve, Micah believes in the stories his dying Grandpa Ephraim tells him of the magical Circus Mirandus: the invisible tiger guarding the gates, the beautiful flying birdwoman, and the magician more powerful than any other--the Man Who Bends Light. Finally, Grandpa Ephraim offers proof. The Circus is real. And the Lightbender owes Ephraim a miracle. With his friend Jenny Mendoza in tow, Micah sets out to find the Circus and the man he believes will save his grandfather. The only problem is, the Lightbender doesn't want to keep his promise. And now it's up to Micah to get the miracle he came for.

It's been almost a year since Sila's mother traveled halfway around the world to Turkey, hoping to secure the immigration paperwork that would allow her to return to her family in the United States. The long separation is almost impossible for Sila to withstand. But things change when Sila accompanies her father (who is a mechanic) outside their Oregon town to fix a truck. There, behind an enormous stone wall, she meets a grandfatherly man who only months before won the state lottery. Their new alliance leads to the rescue of a circus elephant named Veda, and then to a friendship with an unusual boy named Mateo, proving that comfort and hope come in the most unlikely of places.

Twins Rosie and Ivory have grown up at their ringmaster mother's knee, and after years on the road, they're returning to Port End, the closest place to home they know. Yet something has changed in the bustling city: fundamentalist flyers paper the walls and preachers fill the squares, warning of shadows falling over the land. The circus prepares a triumphant homecoming show, full of lights and spectacle that could chase away even the darkest shadow. But during Rosie's tightrope act, disaster strikes. In this lush, sensuous novel interwoven with themes of social justice and found family, it's up to Ivory and her magician love--with the help of a dancing bear--to track down an evil priest and save their circus family before it's too late.

A charming and significant story set prior to the Civil Rights Movement about a boy who finds a way to challenge segregation laws. Frank has always been obsessed with elephants. He loves their hosepipe trunks, tree stump feet, and swish-swish tails. So when Miss Fancy, the elephant, retires from the circus and moves two blocks from his house to Avondale Park, he's over the moon! Frank really wants to pet her. But Avondale Park is just for white people, so Frank is not allowed to see Miss Fancy. Frank is heartbroken but he doesn't give up- instead he makes a plan! Frank writes to the City Council so his church can host a picnic in the park, and he can finally meet Miss Fancy. All of his neighbors sign the letter, but when some protest, the picnic is cancelled and Frank is heartbroken all over again. Then Miss Fancy escapes the zoo, and it's up to Frank to find her before she gets hurt.

Warsaw, Poland. The year is 1940 and Lillia is fifteen when her mother, Alenka, disappears and her father flees with Lillia and her younger sister, Naomi, to Shanghai, one of the few places that will accept Jews without visas. There they struggle to make a life; they have no money, there is little work, no decent place to live, a culture that doesn't understand them. And always the worry about Alenka. How will she find them? Is she still alive?
Meanwhile Lillia is growing up, trying to care for Naomi, whose development is frighteningly slow, in part from malnourishment. Lillia finds an outlet for her artistic talent by making puppets, remembering the happy days in Warsaw when her family was circus performers. She attends school sporadically, makes friends with Wei, a Chinese boy, and finds work as a performer at a "gentlemen's club" without her father's knowledge. But meanwhile the conflict grows more intense as the Americans declare war and the Japanese force the Americans in Shanghai into camps. More bombing, more death. Can they survive, caught in the crossfire?

When Vita's grandfather's mansion is taken from him by a powerful real estate tycoon, Vita knows it's up to her to make things right. With the help of a pickpocket and her new circus friends, Vita creates the plan: Break into the mansion. Steal back what's rightfully her grandfather's. Expose the real estate tycoon for the crook he truly is. But 1920s Manhattan is ever-changing and full of secrets. It might take more than Vita's ragtag gang of misfits to outsmart the city that never sleeps.

Lavinia Warren never let her height -- or the lack of it -- prevent her from leading a full and adventurous life. Although she never grew more than three feet tall, she became a beloved teacher, a world traveler, an entertainer and the friend of many powerful figures. Lavinia was teaching at a local school when she heard about an opportunity to travel doing shows as a "human curiosity" on a Mississippi River boat. Eventually she met P. T. Barnum and worked at his American Museum. It was there that she met Charles Stratton, a dwarf known to the world as "Tom Thumb". Their wedding, which took place on 12 February 1863, brought joy to a nation at war. President and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln held a reception for the couple at the White House. The newlyweds later toured the United States and the world. Lavinia faced several tragedies but always found the strength to go on. Lavinia's extraordinary story also provides a social history of one of the most devastating periods in American history. With additional material on Tom Thumb Weddings, readers' questions, time line, and notes and bibliography, this is sure to be a valuable title for adventurous middle-grade readers.

The Boundless, the greatest train ever built, is on its maiden voyage across the country, and first-class passenger Will Everett is about to embark on the adventure of his life! When Will ends up in possession of the key to a train car containing priceless treasures, he becomes the target of sinister figures from his past. In order to survive, Will must join a traveling circus, enlisting the aid of Mr. Dorian, the ringmaster and leader of the troupe, and Maren, a girl his age who is an expert escape artist. With villains fast on their heels, can Will and Maren reach Will's father and save The Boundless before someone winds up dead?

In this collection of original poems, acclaimed anthologist Lee Bennett Hopkins brings together fourteen selections that celebrate through poetic imagery some of the amazingly diverse places in our nation. These include Denali National Park, the Oneida Nation Museum, San Francisco's Chinatown, the Grand Canyon, the Ringling Circus Museum, Harlem, the Liberty Bell, Fenway Park, and more. The poems as a whole take readers on an exciting multiethnic travelogue around the United States and encourage a positive appreciation of our country's historical, environmental, and cultural heritage.

For twenty years, the Palomas and the Corbeaus have been rivals and enemies, locked in an escalating feud for over a generation. Both families make their living as traveling performers in competing shows-the Palomas swimming in mermaid exhibitions, the Corbeaus, former tightrope walkers, performing in the tallest trees they can find. Lace Paloma may be new to her family's show, but she knows as well as anyone that the Corbeaus are pure magia negra, black magic from the devil himself. Simply touching one could mean death, and she's been taught from birth to keep away. But when disaster strikes the small town where both families are performing, it's a Corbeau boy, Cluck, who saves Lace's life. And his touch immerses her in the world of the Corbeaus, where falling for him could turn his own family against him, and one misstep can be just as dangerous on the ground as it is in the trees.

Ten mice wake and get their home ready for the circus. As they clean and play, these colorful and acrobatic creatures demonstrate how the numbers from 1 to 9 can add up to 10

A baby clown is separated from his family when he accidentally bounces off their circus train and lands in a lonely farmer's vast, empty field. The farmer reluctantly rescues the little clown, and over the course of one day together, the two of them make some surprising discoveries about themselves--and about life!

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, step inside Mosco's Traveling Wonder Show, a menagerie of human curiosities and misfits guaranteed to astound and amaze! But perhaps the strangest act of Mosco's display is Portia Remini, a normal among the freaks, on the run from McGreavy's Home for Wayward Girls, where Mister watches and waits. He said he would always find Portia, that she could never leave. Free at last, Portia begins a new life on the bally, seeking answers about her father's disappearance. Will she find him before Mister finds her? It's a story for the ages, and like everyone who enters the Wonder Show, Portia will never be the same.

Celebrate Clifford's 50th anniversary with this collection of classic stories! The eye-catching cover design will have red foil and matte and spot gloss. Celebrate Clifford's 50th anniversary with this collection of six classic stories that were originally published beginning in 1963! This book includes: Clifford the Big Red Dog, Clifford at the Circus, Clifford Gets a Job, Clifford Takes a Trip, Clifford's Good Deeds, and Clifford's Tricks. Also included in the book is an original letter from Norman Bridwell to the reader, information about the creation of Clifford--including an image of Norman's 1962 painting that inspired the Clifford series, the story behind the real Emily Elizabeth, and more!

Rebel. Champion gymnast. Intergalactic traveler? Trix can deal with being an orphan charity case at a snotty boarding school. She can hold her own when everyone else tells her not to dream big dreams. She can even fight back against the mysterious stranger in a silver mask who tries to steal the meteorite her parents trusted her to protect. But her life is about to change forever. The Circus Galacticus has come to town, bringing acts to amaze, delight, and terrify. And now the dazzling but enigmatic young Ringmaster has offered Trix the chance to be a part of it. Soon Trix discovers an entire universe full of deadly enemies and potential friends, not to mention space leeches, ancient alien artifacts, and exploding chocolate desserts. And she just might unravel the secrets of her own past--if she can survive long enough.
Link to ebook is available in the record

Aurelie Bonhoffen has grown up in the circus. She's been a juggler, the back end of a cow, and played a dead girl on the ghost train at Gribblesea Pier, her parents' run-down amusement park. She adores her family, especially her uncles Rolo and Rindolf, but when she turns twelve she stumbles onto a remarkable secret. Her family members have two chances at life--they can become ghosts! It's hard to accept that her favorite uncles are ghosts, but when Aurelie's new friend at school reveals a dangerous plot to demolish the pier, the secret helps her confront the greatest threat her family has ever faced.

Once there was a dancing circus bear who spent her days in a cold, hard cage. Each night she was led to the town square, where acrobats, trapeze artists, and clowns performed for a boisterous crowd. The bear performed, too, year in and year out, lifting her feet and swaying to the music of trumpets, drums, and cymbals. As she danced, some people clapped, and many poked her with sticks or threw stones. One night, however, the bear did not dance. She stood very still. And then she let out a mighty roar. . . . This deeply affecting tale of a bear who escapes cruelty to find a mythical release will resonate with all who love animals, while offering a universal message about freedom and dignity.

The pony is a dream come true for a little girl. But the dream shatters when he is taken from her. Though time passes as the pony makes the best of his new life in the circus, he never stops hoping to find the little girl. And the girl never stops looking for him.

Little Rabbit hears the drums and watches performers parade by. He really wants to go to the circus! His mother says he may go, but only after he cleans his playroom. Little Rabbit tries, but it's no use. There's only one thing to do: Join the circus and sell one hundred tickets to see the Meanest Mother on Earth! She's terrifying! She's not fair! Mother Rabbit is tough, but only because she loves her Little Rabbit. He starts to understand this at the last sleepy moment, as he snuggles up under a homemade circus tent in his now clean playroom.

At the age of 3, Zishe was lifting a nine-pound hammer in his father's blacksmith shop. By the age of eleven, there was not a bar he couldn't bend or a chain he could not snap.This is the unusual story of Zishe, a poor Polish Jew, who became the featured Strongman of circuses throughout the world. Based on the true story of Zishe of Lodz.

When a circus ship runs aground off the coast of Maine, the poor animals are left on their own to swim the chilly waters. Staggering onto a nearby island, they soon win over the wary townspeople with their kind, courageous ways. So well do the critters blend in that when the greedy circus owner returns to claim them, villagers of all species conspire to outsmart the bloated blowhard. With buoyant rhymes and brilliantly caricatured illustrations evoking the early nineteenth century, Chris Van Dusen presents a hugely entertaining tale about the bonds of community -- and a rare hidden-pictures spread for eagle-eyed readers of all ages.

Biography of P.T. Barnum, showman and founder of the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Readers can visit Barnum's American Museum; meet Tom Thumb, the miniature man (only 39 in. tall) and his tinier bride (32 in.); experience the thrill Barnum must have felt when, at age 60, he joined the circus; and discover Barnum's legacy.

As a boy, Sandy was always fiddling with odds and ends, making objects for friends. When he got older he started creating wire sculptures. Sandy made a lion. Next came a lion cage. Before he knew it, he had an entire circus and was traveling between Paris and New York performing a brand-new kind of art for amazed audiences

The circus is in town so see all the animal acts, jugglers, trapeze artist and the clowns

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 of the 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.

Humpty Dumpty's little sister is too shy to be part of her family's circus act, but she finds courage when her brother needs her help

It's Art's birthday, and he receives a brass spyglass from his grandfather, the respected insect circus ringmaster Sir Henry Piper. No sooner than his grandfather tells him to use the spyglass for only good purposes (no spying!), Art accidentally sees something he shouldn't . . . Enter a world of incredible delight and mischievous mystery, where snails, beetles, and bees make up one of the greatest spectacles on earth. Where humans and insects share the circus ring as friends and colleagues. And where a boy and a girl--with a little help from a pet ladybug--try to prevent one of the biggest bundles to hit the traveling insect circus circuit in years!

At school, Olivia tells about her vacation and how, when she went to the circus and all the performers were out sick, she saved the day, becoming Olivia the Tattooed Lady, Olivia the Lion Tamer, The Amazing Flying Olivia, and more.

A funny, action-packed, over-the-top junior novel about an extraordinary boy performer called Marvin Gumbo, his best friend Rajah the elephant, and their battle to save the family circus from ruin at the hands of Dancing Dan, megalomaniac lion-tamer.

A young girl watches as the activities across the street from her bus stop become a circus

Circus animals fill their days with practicing and performing. Circus-goers thrill as elephants, lions, tigers, and horses entertain in the ring. Despite dangers and some mishaps, trainers describe how they use gentleness, respect, and rewards to get their animals to do stunts.

Miss Bindergarten and her class are ready for a grand adventure-they're putting on a circus. Everyone is busy preparing: painting posters, practicing somersaults, Hula Hooping, making popcorn balls and lemonade. At last the big day arrives. First comes the big parade, complete with clowns. Next the stunts: diving, baton twirling, a high-wire act. And for the grand finale, Miss Bindergarten gives the audience a spectacular treat. Full of the buoyant, clever rhymes and warmly humorous illustrations that have made the previous Miss Bindergarten books so in demand, this joyous book shows what young children can do in the classroom with a little ingenuity and creativity-and a very special teacher!

Key terms in Spanish tell about the circus to give a beginning lesson in the Spanish language

Circus animals and performers getting ready for a show form basic geometric shapes.

Traces the history of circuses from the time of ancient Egypt and Greece through their evolution in eighteenth-century Europe to the spectacles created by P.T. Barnum and other modern-day showmen

The elephants help to raise the big tent, and the show begins, with its ringmaster, tigers, clowns, acrobats, horses, and all of the circus family

In hopes of a better life, a young orphan girl disguises herself as a boy and goes to work for the cruel Professor Malefetta and his flea circus.

This best seller is used by early childhood educators across the world. A theme based curriculum, this book is presented in Alpha order and contains 70 different themes ranging from Ants to Zoo Animals. Each theme contains a variation of the following content depending upon that theme: Curriculum, Web, Theme Goals, Concepts for the Children to Learn, Vocabulary, Bulletin Board, Parent Letter, Music, Fingerplay, Science, Math, Dramatic Play, Arts and Crafts, Sensory, Large Muscle (Gross), Small Muscle (Fine), Field Trips, Social Studies, Group Time, Cooking, Transitions, Books, Multimedia, Recordings and Song Titles. The book sections at the end of each theme have been updated with hundreds of new activities. In addition, an accompanying back-of-book CD-ROM contains important assessment tools, lesson plan forms, evaluation forms for documentation boards, and more.
Includes a section on the Circus

This book is designed to foster independent study, research, writing, and oral presentation skills in students in grades four through six. The lessons, which integrate several content areas, can be used for enrichment or extension in the classroom or as a homework assignment. The forty lessons, four for each of ten months, September through June, are connected to a famous person or event associated with that month. An index indicates the content areas and skills taught in each lesson.
Includes an activity entitled "Ringling Brothers Circus"

This book contains hundreds of accessible, teacher-written learning center activities. The GIANT Encyclopedia of Learning Center Activities is the eighth book in Gryphon House's GIANT Encyclopedia series. The learning centers in this book can either be permanent year-long centers or set up and removed according to the season or children's interests and needs. Through play, young children learn to communicate, interact, and expand their cognitive thinking horizons. The GIANT Encyclopedia of Learning Center Activities provides the resources to make play meaningful and educational for young children. This book offers: Over 600 activities and 47 learning centers, including familiar, permanent centers, such as Art or Blocks, and new and exciting centers, such as Farm, Space, Safari, Shoe Store, and Ice Cream Shop. Opportunities in each center for children to work at their own developmental level. Materials lists for each activity, step-by-step instructions, and related books, songs, and poems. Fresh new ideas from teachers who have used these activities in their own classrooms!
Includes a section related to the Circus

Math Centers, for Grades 2-3, has 14 self-contained centers Practice these math skills: number order, fractional parts, money & time computation , measurement, graphs, geometric shapes, and more.
Includes a section entitled "Measuring at the circus (linear measure-U.S. customary, metric)"

The perfect book to introduce rhythm instruments to young children! Children make the sound of the ocean waves using shakers, pretend to be a train using sand blocks, create a rainstorm with rhythm sticks, and perform circus tricks with jingle bells. Plus, they learn to play the instruments along with their favorite songs. 101 Rhythm Instrument Activities is perfect for parents, early childhood teachers, and music teachers who work with toddlers through age 6.
Has an activity entitled "Circus tricks with bells"

With Spanish and English on each page, this collection of over 450 rhymes, songs, stories, and fingerplays provides the opportunity for building vocabulary and exploring the sounds of language--important skills for beginning readers! Organized by theme for easy use, these selections provide a springboard for teaching a second language and for working in a bilingual classroom.
Has a section entitled "Circus time / Tiempo del circo"

A comprehensive collection of the best art and craft activities for young children. The result of a nationwide competition, these art and craft activities are the best of the best. Just the thing to add pizzazz to your day!
Includes an section on the Circus

Choose from over 150 curriculum-based activities for teaching math in the primary grades. This essential resource book is designed to supplement your existing math curriculum and focuses on discussing and understanding mathematics to build key skills.
Includes an activity entitled "Under the big top: weight and mass"