Animal Crackers: Circus Mayhem

Reviewed by: Jill O'Connor - Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary School, Brunswick, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 13, 2017

Review

Not sure about the audience on this GN. The topic is the circus and as a prequel to Animal Crackers, which felt aimed up upper elementary readers, it seems like it should be written for the same audience, but the language and action in this book are a bit saltier. The opening scene is between a boy, Owen, and his parents and they are all very snippy with one another. Then, upon arriving at the circus, there is a large line of people waiting and everyone gets yelled at by the man in charge. Then an out-of-control clown arrives, almost runs Owen over, and admits that he is there to take Owen and Owen's parents let him go off with this wild clown. The action from there is frenetic and completely unbelievable and much of it is not really explained. There is a dastardly plot to take over the circus from Buffalo Bob, Owen's uncle, by Contorto. The plan hinges on the fact that the animals are missing from the circus. Of course, Owen finds the magic animal crackers and makes a good show of running through the list of animals from an elephant to a mouse to a rhino to a bear. Readers not too concerned with believable plot; those who just want 100% adrenaline from their story, could be entertained by this book.

Overall Book Score: poor