Watch Out for Flying Kids!: How Two Circuses, Two Countries, and Nine Kids Confront Conflict and Build Community

Gr 5–8—Levinson brings together the story of nine young people of different backgrounds, religions, races, and socioeconomic status who all share a common love—the circus. Circus Harmony in St. Louis, MO—a city known for its racial turbulence—is made up of both black and white and inner-city and suburban youth. Readers meet Kellin Quinn Hentoff-Killian, who has been around the circus since he was an infant and who mastered the art of juggling as a toddler while watching his older siblings. Kellin's mother, Jessica Hentoff, is the artistic and executive director of Circus Harmony, a nonprofit that teaches kids circus skills with the goal of encouraging them to learn cooperation, develop perseverance, and meet and befriend those from different backgrounds. The book also focuses on the Galilee Circus in Israel, directed by Marc Rosenstein and one of the few places in the country where Arab and Jewish youth could come together. Hentoff and Rosenstein decided that these two cultural ambassador circuses should meet. With sidebars and easy-to-read short vignettes, this book nevertheless packs in a lot of information. The accompanying photos break up the dense text, but readers may prefer to approach the book in small doses. More inspiring than investigative, this title may find more of an audience among adults looking for ways to motivate youth.