about the book
Micah loves his Grandpa Ephraim, who has taken care of him ever since his parents’ death. They have a grand time tying knots, building a tree house, and telling stories of the Circus Mirandus.
Then Grandpa gets sick and Great-Aunt Gertrudis comes to help. But she’s not helping. She’s a tyrant who won’t let Micah see his grandfather!
After being denied tea-time with Grandpa, Micah sneaks into the sickroom and Grandpa reveals that the Circus Mirandus is real: the invisible tiger guarding the gates, the beautiful flying birdwoman, and the Lightbender. All of it. The Lightbender even owes Grandpa a miracle.
Can Micah and his friend Jenny find the Circus and cash in the miracle to save Grandpa?
about the author
While growing up, Cassie Beasley read any book she could get her hands on. Her parents’ bookshelves were full of fantasy novels, so it’s no surprise that she loves that genre.
One time in fourth grade, she was so engrossed in her book that she missed a fire drill! She assumes the alarm sounded, and that her teacher gave instructions, but she didn’t hear any of it.
It wasn’t until high school that Cassie realized that she “didn’t have to just read books, [she] could also write books.” This lightbulb moment led her to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in writing.
During her master’s program, her major projects were YA novels until the story of a boy, his grandfather, and a magical circus came to her. She loved the idea and wrote the first draft in one week! After many revisions, five publishers had a bidding-war for Circus Mirandus. If that wasn’t enough attention for a debut novel, the fact that the movie rights were sold four months before the book is icing on the cake.
Cassie lives in rural Georgia with her sister, Kate Beasley, who is also a children’s author, and her African Grey parrot named Spook the Bird, who is ultra-chatty.
Sources:
Author website
Author biography: Goodreads
Author interview: Publisher’s Weekly
Author interview: BookPage
Author interview: School Library Journal
Book trailer: Circus Mirandus
Also by Cassie Beasley:
Tumble & Blue. Dial. August 2017.
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