(1) YA In this dark graphic novel with an unconventional cast and setting--an ode to outsiders, "freaks," and misfits everywhere--Jane and Isabel are conjoined twins who work at a carnival sideshow. A doctor promises Jane that he can surgically separate the two, giving them a real shot at independence from each other, but Isabel, who doesn't control their shared limbs, isn't nearly as excited by the prospect as Jane is. Unfortunately, the operation proves fatal for Jane, and Isabel must now cope with her new reality. She gains a prosthetic arm and leg, returns to her beloved carnival community (where she invents a new act), and deals with the constant intrusions of the ghostly presence of Jane, the titular phantom twin. Isabel has two suitors--a smooth-talking newspaper journalist and a kind tattoo artist--and her eventual choice not only dramatically affects the carnival but changes the direction of her life. Brown's expressive line illustrations (digitally colored) effectively serve the story, conveying the particulars of the sideshow, delineating the various characters and their nuanced relationships (particularly between Isabel and the phantom Jane), and driving the plot toward its satisfying conclusion. An author's note places the exploitative nature of carnival sideshows in historical context; a brief bibliography and a glossary of "carnival lingo" are also appended.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(3) 4-6 Lyttle Lies series. Habitual liar Sam Lyttle can't wait for a summer carnival with an open-air screening of his favorite movie. After a "truth make-over" lands Sam's mother in charge of a charity "Zumbathon," his family declares: no lying for three weeks, or no screening. Sam's efforts at total honesty bring predictable but humorous results, and a subplot involving a stinky cat adds more laughs. A comics format enhances the silliness.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(4) 4-6 Back in England with Aunt Evie, Americans Tess and Max (The Castle in the Mist) visit the traveling Fun Fair. Tess is recruited to perform with aerial artists; Max discovers oddities in the House of Mirrors. But the outing turns ominous when the magical carnival's proprietor kidnaps the siblings. Ephron balances genial fantasy with a tinge of threat in this pleasing if unstructured episodic adventure.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) YA In 1950s small-town America, fifteen-year-old Phoebe and her famous mother avoid "Shivers," or monster attacks, with the help of Daddy, a giant (invisible to others) man in the sky. When Phoebe's mom vanishes, Phoebe uncovers the harrowing truth about Daddy and the so-called attacks. Reminiscent of the campy horror and sci-fi flicks from that era, this novel is engaging, cinematic, and very quirky.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) 4-6 As twins Tempest and Tally approach their thirteenth birthday, traveling with their grandfather's carnival for the summer, something is pulling them apart--not just figuratively but literally. Tally tries to combat this destructive magnetic energy alone but discovers that she must rely on Tempest's strengths, too, if there's hope of preserving their relationship. The story's magical realism blends well with the sisters' complicated bond.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Kathrin Honesta. When the Museum of Peculiar Arts closes, eleven-year-old boy Chance (a former volunteer) is given Penny, a lifelike, child-size marionette. In an accidental body switch, Chance becomes consciously trapped in the puppet, while Penny is free--and loving it. A creepy puppeteer, a traveling carnival, and Chance's come-to-the-rescue sister Constance feature in a complex and compelling plot with heart and a touch of horror.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 4-6 Miranda's family's ranchera band, Miranda y los Reyes, might move to the carnival main stage; meanwhile, Flor's family runs the carnival petting zoo, which might be cut to accommodate Miranda's band's main-stage salary. A fast-paced narrative, sprinkled with a bit of Spanish and alternating between the two protagonists, is set over the course of one eventful carnival day. An appealing story with great cultural specificity.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) 4-6 You Choose Stories: Field Trip Mysteries series. Illustrated by Marcos Calo. Readers get to co-construct each story and help solve thin mysteries in this interactive spinoff of Brezenoff's Field Trip Mysteries. Sixth-grade detectives Sam, Egg, Gum, and Cat investigate a missing rare fruit from a botanical garden (Fruit) and stolen electronic tickets from a carnival (Caper). Each case offers twelve possible endings for readers to pursue. Full-bleed color illustrations bring important scenes to life. Glos. Review covers these You Choose Stories: Field Trip Mysteries titles: The Carnival Caper and The Disappearing Fruit.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(4) YA Sixteen-year-old Sorina, "The Girl Who Sees Without Eyes," heads the "Gomorrah Festival Freak Show," of which the other performers are all her created illusions. When someone begins the presumed-impossible task of systematically murdering the illusions, Sorina must use every available resource--even an insufferable but attractive festival poison-worker--to find the killer. An intriguing narrative conjures many special effects but without much lasting substance.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(3) 4-6 Magic Misfits series. Illustrated by Lissy Marlin & Kyle Hilton. Runaway orphan Carter's sleight-of-hand ability comes in handy when he works with five other magically minded kids to expose a criminal group of circus performers in the town of Mineral Wells. Containing spot and full-page black-and-white illustrations, this new series introduces a diverse cast of characters and a satirical Lemony Snicket–like narrator. Beginner magic tricks included throughout make this ideal for young magic enthusiasts.

Reviewer: Janet Daniels

(3) YA After their traveling carnival temporarily sets up shop in small, mysterious Caudry, Louisiana, Mara, daughter of the troupe's fortune-teller, must fight off dark energies and vicious creatures. Mara discovers her own supernatural powers just in time, while also falling in love with wealthy local Gabe, who has dark secrets of his own. Hocking's action-packed supernatural tale will have readers' attention glued to the pages.

Reviewer: Yaisha Cordero-Rivera

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Irene Luxbacher. Malaika's (Malaika's Costume) Mummy returns to the Caribbean with her French Canadian fiancé and his daughter. When the mixed-race family returns to Québec, Malaika has trouble adapting to her new sister, climate, and school, and the winter carnival is nothing like Carnival back home. Video-chatting with Grandma helps Malaika embrace her situation. Mixed-media illustrations vibrantly capture both settings and the blended family's love. Glos.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Inna Chernyak. This "Three Little Pigs" sendup has pig brothers Rishon, Sheni, and Shlishi making crowns (from paper, cardboard, and papier-mâché, respectively) for the Purim carnival. Meanwhile, a hungry wolf needs a disguise to buy hamantaschen (recipe included). Ultimately a lesson in sharing, the book has little to do with Purim, although a note on it is appended. Bright, cartoonlike illustrations depict a cheery all-animal Purim carnival. Glos.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(4) YA In 1922, abandoned by her family after contracting polio, Rowan is cast in the Unfit Family show, a carnival sideshow promoting eugenics. After escaping, she and an unlikely ally find themselves uncovering a plot to use "unfit" children as medical guinea pigs. While the plot is uneven, the story's themes and subjects are worth examination; an appended historical note adds value.

Reviewer: Sarah Hannah Gomez

(4) 4-6 The erstwhile detective and deformed circus performer known only as Wild Boy is contracted by the Queen herself to track a series of supernatural poisonings through the gritty underworld of Victorian London. This stand-alone, slightly more cohesive sequel to Wild Boy minimally explores Wild Boy's relationships with his shadily motivated allies, resting instead on spooky atmosphere to deliver period suspense with a demonic twist.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Subhash Amaliyar. The paper-over-board binding opens to reveal a large foldout picture depicting, in traditional Bhil style, a carnival celebrating the annual Bhagoria festival. The picture offers much to look at and for (and a pop-out human-powered Ferris wheel); a smaller inset book in the lower right quadrant offers a forgettable narrative captioning vignettes from the main illustration.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton

(4) 4-6 Oh My Godmother series. Illustrated by Abigail Halpin. In the third book, Lacey continues her fairy-godmother training by helping outcast Martin win over their class with a magic carnival. She resolves to make his life not "stink," though she doesn't understand the full extent of his stress. As usual, well-intentioned Lacey's magic makes life more complicated, not less. Cute spot art enlivens this lightweight fantasy story about friendship and determination.

Reviewer: Amanda Mc. MacGregor

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Derek Anderson. Hot Rod Hamster and his bulldog buddy (and readers, too) have myriad choices of rides and food at the fair: "Slurp treats, lick treats, eat it on a stick treats. Which would you choose?" Ultimately, Hot Rod's biggest thrill is filling in for driver Fearless Franco in Monster Truck Mania. Colorful acrylics complement the peppy rhymes and the boisterous good time.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) K-3 Graphic Universe: Mr. Badger and Mrs. Fox series. Illustrated by Eve Tharlet. Sick of the long, cold winter, everyone in the Fox/Badger household is getting cross and cranky. When the Fox grandparents arrive, they suggest a carnival to banish winter. Now both children and adults are energized as they make costumes and plan the festivities. The story's pace is slow, but the animal characters that populate this picture book in graphic-novel form are appealing.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(2) 1-3 Franklin School Friends series. Illustrated by Rob Shepperson. If Annika Riz is going to win the citywide sudoku contest, she'll have to out-sudoku third-grade classmate Simon (from Kelsey Green, Reading Queen). The school carnival is also coming up, and friends Annika, Kelsey, and Izzy fail (three times) at baking cookies for it. Mills has her characters struggle with right and wrong behavior, as Annika accepts that simply trying can be worthwhile.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2014