The Acrobat

PreS-Gr 1—In this vibrantly colored picture book, a circus acrobat is tired of everyone else being the center of attention and yearns to captivate an audience, any audience. He tries different tricks and stunts, but when nothing works, he decides to strike out on his own. He heads to a park and performs; while there, something magical happens that has nothing to do with his acrobatic skills. The narrative is short and simple, geared toward young children. The entertaining cartoon illustrations feature characters with very expressive faces, done on a larger scale with minimal line work. Children will be captivated by the various images and personalities throughout the story. The contrast of bright color on the spare white background is both effective and appealing. A debut picture book by a former cartoonist that is sure to please.—Megan McGinnis, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY