Harper and the Circus of Dreams

October 15, 2017
Harper seeks the origins of the song she hears only in her dreams. She's an orphan, but Harper is lovingly cared for by her aunt and other eccentric residents of the Tall Apartment Block. Harper's three uncommonly talented preteen friends, a silver wolf, and a mandolin-playing cat make up her beloved co-adventurers. In this sequel to Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella (2017), she still longs to understand the mystery of her absent parents, who left only a smudged note as a clue. Harper can play any instrument but has yet to find the special one that will bring to life the haunting music in her heart and dreams. As Harper and her friends travel through the sky one day, carried along by her flying red umbrella, they encounter an ethereal girl, Skylar, who is flitting among clouds that are held aloft by birds and tightropes. Skylar eventually leads them to the magic Circus of Dreams in the sky. There, they encounter numerous dazzling performers and mysterious places, such as the bake shop where, with one bite of a harp-shaped cookie, the mind fills with music. Brimming with charming illustrations and written with flowing wonderment, this is a fantastical slip of a story where magic and music combine to create enchantment. Harper and her friends Ferdie and Liesel are white, her friend Nate is black, and Skylar is depicted with dark skin. A winsome tale that will make the minds of early chapter-book readers sparkle. (Fantasy. 7-10)

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December 1, 2017

Gr 1-3-Ever since the Scarlet Umbrella delivered Harper to her Aunt Sassy with a note from her parents, she has lived in the City of Clouds with her cat Midnight wondering where her parents might be and when they will come to fetch her. A musical prodigy who can play every instrument, Harper longs for the discovery of her one true instrument and the origin of the haunting tune that fills her dreams. One evening, a sweeping storm delivers Skylar, a young storm-stirrer who is part of the Floating Circus that travels the globe. Harper and her friends visit the sky-high treasure and meet traveling performers as well as Skylar's great-grandmother, the lightening-leader. After an unforgettable evening, Harper begins to connect the dots among her parents, the mysterious song she cannot forget, and her recent travels. That night when the Floating Circus vanishes, Harper feels lost, but is encouraged by her friends that "as long as there is a cloud in the sky, there is hope." Another entry by British author and television personality Burnell, this early chapter book is for readers who fancy a bit of sentimentality in their fantasy selections. Anderson's spreads reflect perfectly the wonder and whimsy of Harper's world. VERDICT This installment is sure to float into the hearts of readers looking for a new adventure.-Claire Moore, Manhattan Beach Library, CA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2018
In this sequel to Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella, Harper and her friends discover the whimsical Circus of Dreams, suspended in the sky by balloons and populated with an array of quirky characters. Treacly prose creates a world filled with sparkly magic but not much emotional resonance beyond wonder and awe. Tidy grayscale illustrations play up the fanciful.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)