Season 2 - Episodes 8 & 9 - A Circus Adventure

A Circus Adventure

A Circus Adventure is sponsored by Scholastic

The Reading Bug has been working on a special talent and we're off to visit P.T. Barnum's Greatest Show on Earth to see other talented performers - acrobats, elephants, daredevils and more! But things get exciting when someone develops a case of stage fright. The show must go on, but how can it when the star performer won't perform? Join Lauren and the Reading Bug on this high flying adventure and maybe you'll find yourself performing in the circus, too!

Books Mentioned in this Podcast

Fiction: 
If I Ran the Circus (Classic Seuss) By Dr. Seuss Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9780394800806
Availability: In Our Warehouse - Expected arrival in 2-5 days
Published: Random House Books for Young Readers -

Step right up for Dr. Seuss’s classic rhyming picture-book tale of young Morris McGurk’s big circus dreams. This circus has more than a mere lion tamer and trapeze artist! At the Circus McGurkus, you’ll be intrigued by the wink-hooded Hoodwink, terrified by the Spotted Atrocious, and amazed by the daring feats of the great Sneelock. And these are just a few of the astonishing things you’ll find under this big top.


The Show Must Go On! (Three-Ring Rascals) By Kate Klise, M. Sarah Klise Cover Image
$5.95
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ISBN: 9781616204068
Published: Algonquin Young Readers - April 8th, 2014

In their trademark style, author Kate Klise and illustrator M. Sarah Klise blend a story bursting with jokes, puns, and wordplay with illustrations, signs, letters, recipes, and bold graphics to introduce Three-Ring Rascals. When Sir Sidney, a kindly old circus owner, becomes too tired to travel with his show, he places a Help Wanted ad in the newspaper. Enter Barnabas Brambles: “I have a degree in lion taming from the University of Piccadilly Circus.” But does Leo the lion need taming? Will Elsa the elephant still get her gourmet peanuts? And what will Brambles say when he discovers Bert and Gert—two mice who travel with the circus on popcorn cleanup patrol?


Extraordinary Jane By Hannah E. Harrison Cover Image
$17.99
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ISBN: 9780803739147
Published: Dial Books - February 6th, 2014

For anyone with a beloved pet, this delightful and heartwarming story set at the circus shows that quiet qualities like friendship, kindness, and loyalty are important and worthy. Jane is an ordinary dog in an extraordinary circus. She isn't strong, graceful, or brave like her family. When she tries to be those things, Jane just doesn't feel like herself, but she also doesn't feel special. Is she really meant for this kind of life? Her Ringmaster thinks so, but not for the reasons Jane believes.


Harper and the Circus of Dreams By Cerrie Burnell, Laura Ellen Anderson (Illustrator) Cover Image
$14.99
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ISBN: 9781510715677
Published: Sky Pony - October 31st, 2017

Late one evening as the stars begin to twinkle, Harper and her friends are flying on the scarlet umbrella when they see a girl running on air, skipping along a tightrope. She leads them to the Circus of Dreams, suspended in the air by hot air balloons. There, they meet the mermaid acrobat, the spectacular circus baker, the mysterious fortune teller and the acrobatics troupe, all more spectacular than one could dream. But as they learn more about the Circus of Dreams, Harper learns a secret about her past that is more than magic. . . .


Non-Fiction: 
The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P. T. Barnum By Candace Fleming, Ray Fenwick (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Candace Fleming, Ray Fenwick (Illustrator)
$19.99
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ISBN: 9780375841972
Published: Schwartz & Wade - September 8th, 2009

The award-winning author of The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary, Amelia Lost, and Our Eleanor brings us the larger-than-life biography of showman P. T. Barnum. Known far and wide for his jumbo elephants, midgets, and three-ring circuses, here’ s a complete and captivating look at the man behind the Greatest Show on Earth. Readers can visit Barnum’s American Museum; meet Tom Thumb, the miniature man (only 39 inches tall) and his tinier bride (32 inches); experience the thrill Barnum must have felt when, at age 60, he joined the circus; and discover Barnum’s legacy to the 19th century and beyond.


Other Great Books for You to Explore: 
Circus Caps for Sale By Esphyr Slobodkina, Esphyr Slobodkina (Illustrator) Cover Image
$7.99
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ISBN: 9780064437936
Published: HarperCollins - May 11th, 2004

Harold's Circus By Crockett Johnson, Crockett Johnson (Illustrator) Cover Image
$6.99
ISBN: 9780064430241
Availability: On Our Store Shelves Now
Published: HarperCollins - May 20th, 1981

Circus By Lois Ehlert, Lois Ehlert (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Lois Ehlert, Lois Ehlert (Illustrator)
$18.99
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ISBN: 9780060202521
Published: HarperCollins - March 30th, 1992

The Circus Ship By Chris Van Dusen, Chris Van Dusen (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Chris Van Dusen, Chris Van Dusen (Illustrator)
$8.99
ISBN: 9780763655921
Availability: In Our Warehouse - Expected arrival in 2-5 days
Published: Candlewick - February 24th, 2015

Chester the Worldly Pig By Bill Peet Cover Image
$9.99
ISBN: 9780395272718
Availability: In Our Warehouse - Expected arrival in 2-5 days
Published: Clarion Books - October 11th, 1978

Olivia Saves the Circus By Ian Falconer Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780689829543
Availability: In Our Warehouse - Expected arrival in 2-5 days
Published: Atheneum Books for Young Readers - October 1st, 2001

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