What’s in it
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24 books with the same feel
Include books by the same authorThe Circus of Dr. Lao
Charles G. Finney · 154 pages
**Abalone, Arizona, is a sleepy southwestern town whose chief concerns are boredom and surviving the Great Depression—that is, until the circus of Dr. Lao arrives and immensely and irrevocably changes the lives of everyone drawn to its tents.** Expecting a sideshow spectacle, the citizens of Abalone instead confront and learn profound lessons from the mythical made real—a chimera, a Medusa, a t
Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back
Shel Silverstein · 112 pages
After leaving the jungle for the circus and a life of fame and wealth, a lion who taught himself to be the best shot in the world discovers he's not really a lion anymore, and not really a man, either.
The Palace of Laughter: The Wednesday Tales No. 1
Jon Berkeley · 432 pages
Miles Wednesday, orphaned, unwashed and living in a barrel, has never been to a circus before—but then the Circus Oscuro is no ordinary circus. There's a strange beast called The Null and an array of sinister-looking clowns, and when an unusual little girl with wings falls from a tower during the performance, Miles's life is changed forever. As Miles and Little embark on an extraordinary journey t
MirrorMask
Neil Gaiman · 136 pages
While most kids long to run away and join the circus, Helena dreams of running away to join the real world. Until the day she wakes up to find herself in a strange new place populated by mysterious creatures a dreamworld where she is about to embark on an amazing journey.
The Rose and the Ring
William Makepeace Thackeray · 160 pages
The Rose and the Ring is one of those special literary treats which happen when a writer for adults turns his attention to the world of children. It's a classic fairy tale, told with Thackeray's customary insight into characters, an excellent story for reading aloud to children.
Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters
Mark Dunn · 208 pages
An epistolary novel set on a fictional island off the South Carolina coastline, Ella Minnow Pea brings readers to the hometown of Nevin Nollop, inventor of the pangram "The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over the Lazy Dog." Deified for his achievement in life, Nevin has been honored in death with a monument featuring his famous phrase. One day, however, the letter Z falls from the monument, and some of the
Circus Mirandus
Cassie Beasley · 304 pages
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 mirac
The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas
David Almond · 230 pages
"Stanley Potts's uncle Ernie has developed an over-the-top fascination with canning fish in the house, and life at 69 Fish Quay Lane has turned barmy. But there's darkness in the madness, and when Uncle Ernie's obsession takes an unexpectedly cruel turn, Stan has no choice but to leave. As he journeys away from the life he's always known, he mingles with a carnival full of eccentric characters and
The Sword in the Stone
T.H. White · 288 pages
When Merlyn the magician comes to tutor Sir Ector's sons Kay and the Wart, schoolwork suddenly becomes much more fun. After all, who wouldn't enjoy being turned into a fish, or a badger, or a snake? But Merlyn has very particular plans for the Wart. This is the children's story of King Arthur's childhood which was the basis for the still popular Disney cartoon of the same title.
Our Ancestors: The Cloven Viscount, The Baron in the Trees, The Non-Existent Knight
Italo Calvino · 385 pages
Light Boxes
Shane Jones · 158 pages
After a god-like spirit punishes a town for flying by making it perpetually live out its days in the month of February, children go missing and adults fall into deep depression, but a small contingent of townsfolk fight back, waging war on February.
The Princess Bride
William Goldman · 399 pages
*The Princess Bride is a timeless tale that pits country against country, good against evil, love against hate. This incredible journey and artfully rendered love story is peppered with strange beasties monstrous and gentle, memorable surprises both terrible and sublime, and such unforgettable characters as...* **Westley**, the handsome farm boy who risks death (and much worse) for the woman he
The Marvelous Land of Oz
L. Frank Baum · 166 pages
Tip and his creation, Jack Pumpkin, run away to Oz, where they save the city after it is captured by girls.
Son of a Witch
Gregory Maguire · 352 pages
Liir hid in the shadows of the castle after Dorothy did in the Witch. Left for dead in a gully, the teen is shattered in spirit and body. But silent novice Candle tends him at the Cloister of Saint Glinda, and wills him back to life with her music. What dark force left Liir in this condition? Is he really Elphaba's son? He has her broom and her cape - but what of her powers? Can he find his sup
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Ray Bradbury · 293 pages
Few American novels written this century have endured in the heart and memory as has Ray Bradbury's unparalleled literary classic SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES. For those who still dream and remember, for those yet to experience the hypnotic power of its dark poetry, step inside. The show is about to begin. The carnival rolls in sometime after midnight, ushering in Halloween a week early. The
The Carnivorous Carnival
Lemony Snicket · 286 pages
Dear reader, The word "carnivorous," which appears in the title of this book, means "meat-eating," and once you have read such a bloodthirsty word, there is no reason to read any further. This carnivorous volume contains such a distressing story that consuming any of its contents would be far more stomach-turning than even the most imbalanced meal. To avoid causing discomfort, it would be be
Nona the Ninth
Tamsyn Muir · 480 pages
Her city is under siege. The zombies are coming back. And all Nona wants is a birthday party. In many ways, Nona is like other people. She lives with her family, has a job at her local school, and loves walks on the beach and meeting new dogs. But Nona's not like other people. Six months ago she woke up in a stranger's body, and she's afraid she might have to give it back. The whole ci
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Richard Atwater, Florence Atwater · 139 pages
The Wee Free Men
Terry Pratchett · 320 pages
A riotous, wise, and gripping junior Discworld novel from the Carnegie Medal-winning author and acknowledged master of comic fantasy.Nine-year-old Tiffany Aching thinks her Granny Aching - a wise shepherd - might have been a witch, but now Granny Aching is dead and it's up to Tiffany to work it all out when strange things begin happening: a fairy-tale monster in the stream, a headless horseman and
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
Roald Dahl · 176 pages
Taking up where Charlie and the Chocolate Factory leaves off, Charlie, his family, and Mr. Wonka find themselves launched into space in the great glass elevator.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass
Lewis Carroll · 273 pages
Circus Galacticus
Deva Fagan · 304 pages
Trix's life in boarding school as an orphan charity case has been hard, but when an alluring young Ringmaster invites her, a gymnast, to join Circus Galacticus she gainss an entire universe of deadly enemies and potential friends, along with a chance to unravel secrets of her own past.

