Sometimes I really, really miss having children in our home to read with — reading aloud was probably my favorite thing about being a mom to young kids. I work through this low-grade grief by doing regular story times for kiddos and their adults — keeps me involved with picture books at least. But some of my favorite reading experiences with our kids were around novels, and well … the kids at my story times are too little to undertake a read-aloud of a novel.
I read a lot of kid lit, and every once in awhile I hit a book that I know my kids would’ve loved and I have to take a moment to feel all my feelings about no longer having their little selves to cozy up with on the couch and read the afternoon away. Long Road to the Circus, by Betsy Bird, illustrated by David Small is one such book.
First, there’s the picture on the cover — one can immediately accurately judge this book by the cover David Small drew for it.
Yes, this is a book about a girl named Suzy learning to ride an ostrich. Already you want to open it and start, right? David Small invites us to look into the eyes of Suzy and Gaucho, the ostrich. And what do we see there? I see an ostrich with an attitude and a girl with a glint of determination in her eye. What a setup for a book!
Suzy’s family lives in Burr Oak, Michigan, on a farm with a never-ending chores list. Her whole family lives there. Has always lived there. Will always live there. And Suzy knows she wants to leave someday. Maybe the sooner the better.
Generations of her family live and work together. All of these people are distinct and interesting characters who pop off the page, enlivening an already lively story, without distracting from Suzy’s “journey” to become an ostrich rider and see the world.
But it’s the voice in this novel that really makes it — that and the drawings of an irate ostrich bucking off a determined rider again and again. I’m picky about first person accounts — has to be done really well, or I find it distracting, so busy am I “editing” it into a close third person point of view. I did not want to change one thing about how Suzy talks and tells us this story. She’s hilarious and full of great gumption, determined and independent, forging an unexpected way that you know is a simple foretaste of all that she will experience throughout her life. I “heard” Suzy loud and clear and she won my heart in the first few paragraphs.
The story this book tells is apparently grounded in history — the information and photos at the back of the book are amazing. Suzy learns more about who she wants to be as she is gently mentored by Madame Marantette, a reclusive local legend, mystery, and topic of gossip. And Madame Marantette was a real person! You can read about her still holding the record for longest distance ridden in a surrey pulled by a horse and ostrich (at the same time!) And that’s just the beginning of her adventures.
This book was what I call a “gulper.” I just gulped it right down. And I desperately want to read it out loud with a kid — think I can advertise for a willing listener?
Where was this when I was 10 years old? When I was young, my career goal was to be a circus clown. My dad helped me learn to walk on a barrel, and I rolled all over our yard “training” for the circus. Thank you for sharing this title!