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The Circus Ship

(2009, Fiction - Animals, Written by Chris Van Dusen, Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 0, age appropriate for kids over 5; suggested age 5.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Odd shipwreck tale comes on a little strong.

Themes in this book include:   friendship

Why We Rated This on for Ages 5 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Not an issue.

  • Messages:

    The villagers change their view toward the animals after a tiger’s heroic act and then work together to protect the animals.

  • Role models:

    Rather than let the cruel circus owner collect the animals he abandoned, the villagers protect their new friends. But the ship captain, described as “honest and sincere,” goes along with the captain’s selfish orders.

  • Illustrations:

    So brightly colored they veer toward gaudy, the best illustrations invite kids to explore the ways the circus animals have become part of village life.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    The circus ship goes down in a storm, and the circus owner leaves the animals to drown. A baby is rescued from a fire. The circus owner is powerfully drawn as a mean, intimidating bully.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Circus Ship

Parents need to know this picture book means well, but the bullying circus owner is so aggressively angry it’s hard to enjoy the pleasures of the book. Kids might be unsettled by the opening shipwreck scene, in which the circus owner orders the captain to leave the animals to drown in the water. Later, a young child trapped in a violently burning building is rescued by a tiger.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about right and wrong. What should Mr. Paine have done when the ship sank? Why were his actions wrong? What about the captain?
  • The animals belonged to Mr. Paine. Were the villagers right to keep him from collecting what belonged to him? Why or why not?
  • The end notes describe a much sadder true story that Circus Ship is based on. Older kids and parents can talk about what parts of the story are different. What parts are the same?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Parent Reviewer
    Waltzing Matilda
    I rate this title on for age 4 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Great illustrations

    The story is based loosely on an actual event in Maine. It's a good read by a GREAT illustrator. Also check out Chris VanDusen's Mr. Magee books and If I Built a Car. The guy is 1950s-vintage GREAT.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
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  2. Parent Reviewer
    jpcullen
    Lives in Maine
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Great illustrations

    My first graders absolutely loved this book when the librarian read it to us the other day. We are big Chris VanD fans and this book had all the things we love- lots of action, great rhythm and rhyme, and bright, bold illustrations. It is now a favorite in our class library, even among those who usually never deign to read anything but chapter books.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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