Molly is a bearded girl who joins the circus, only to find that her former tormentor faces a far hairier plight. Tia claims that her lamented mom is a three-thousand-year-old mummy, but is it really an act? Cody sets out to foil a pop psychic, but the shocking result is not what he planned for. And Tiffany’s grandma sees something wild in her future, but is the girl prepared for the powerful shape it will take? Whether the sideshow touts a two-headed rat or a turn-of-the-century American jargo, whether the subject discovers an odd kind of miracle or learns that the real freaks are outside the tent, these stories and graphic tales are by turns humorous and insightful, edgy and eerie, but always compulsively entertaining. - from amazon
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From magical shapshifters to bearded girls and other illusive creatures, Sideshow is a stunning and whimsical collection of stories is sure to bring the circus freak out of anyone.
I really enjoyed reading this collection of short stories, even if some of them were just a touch too "odd" for me-still, I can't help but think how Candlewick publishes some of the neatest books. My favorite story was The Bread Box by Cecil Castellucci, a bizarre yet charming tale of a living family heirloom, or The Bearded Girl for it's unusual message of acceptance. My favorite comic was Jargo! end of story. It was funny and enchanting-the perfect way to end a truly a magical book.
Complete with eerie and intriguing stories alike, fans of fantasy, paranormal fiction, and all things unusual will certainly be delighted by Sideshow. Circuses, fairs, carnivals, and magic shows have captivated us for hundreds of years; why not bring the hidden side of the circus to life!
"There are some strange things in this world...."
Deborah Noyes has edited the acclaimed story collections The Restless Dead and Gothic! and is the author of The Ghost of Kerfol. She lives in Massachusetts.
Sidshow contains the following short stories and comics:
"The Bearded Girl" by Aimee Bender
"Those Psychics on TV' by Vivian Vande Velde
"Year of the Rat" by Danica Novgorodoff
"The Mummy's Daughter" by Anette Curtis Klause
"When God Came to Kathleen's Garden" by David Almond
"The Shadow Troupe" by Shawn Cheng
"Cat Calls" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
"The Bread Box" by Cecil Castellucci
"Living Curiosities" by Margo Lanagan
"Jargo!" by Matt Phelan
Pages: 240 Year Published: July 2009 Publisher: Candlewick
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal Age Group: YA, ages 12+ Content: None
Enjoyed It: 5/5 Rating:
Many thanks to Marie at Candlewick Press for sending me this neat book!
2 comments:
I'm one to shy away from books with short stories. I have no idea why but this sounds good. Great review!
I totally agree with your review! The Bread Box, The Bearded Girl, and Jargo! were some of my favorites as well.
I really liked the book overall, even though some stories left me saying "...whut?"
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