Synopses & Reviews
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, friends and neighbors, allow me to change your lives! Step inside Moscos Traveling Wonder Show! Youve read about them in magazines, these so-called human curiosities, this tribe of misfits—now come and see for yourselves. Weve got a gent as tall as a tree, a lady with a beard, and dont miss your chance to see the Wild Albinos of Bora Bora! Ask Madame Doula to peer into your future (only two dollars more if you want to know how youre going to die). And between these covers behold the greatest act of our display—Portia Remini, the strangest of the menagerie because shes a ‘normal among the freaks, searching for a new beginning on the bally, far away from McGreaveys Home for Wayward Girls, where Mister watches and waits. He said he would always find Portia, said she could never leave . . . Oh, its not for the faint of heart folks. If youre prone to nightmares or youve got a weak ticker, youd best move on. Within these pages lies a tale of abandonment, loss, misfortune for the rich and glory for the poor (and a little murder doesnt hurt). Its a story for the ages, but be warned: once you enter the Wonder Show you will never be the same.
Review
Nominated for the William C. Morris YA Debut Award
A Kirkus Best Teen Book of 2012
"Broken but resilient, Portia is a sympathetic heroine whose simple, unadorned need for love and acceptance will be immediately recognizable to any young reader."
—Bulletin
"This will appeal to readers looking for something a bit different than most YA fare."
—Booklist
"Through skillful description, the dreariness of the Home and the fantastical nature of the carnival world comes vividly to life."
—Horn Book
"This predominantly third-person narration is richly textured with psychological tension, complex characterization, a vivid setting, and a suspenseful plot . . . one will be spellbound by this intriguing reading experience."
—SLJ
* "Infused with nostalgia and affection, this celebration of the deliberately constructed self will hold readers in its spell from beginning to end."
—Kirkus, starred review
Synopsis
A striking historical fiction YA debut about a wayward girl amid the freaks and sideshows of a late-1930s traveling circus.
Synopsis
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, step inside Moscos Traveling Wonder Show, a menagerie of human curiosities and misfits guaranteed to astound and amaze! But perhaps the strangest act of Moscos display is Portia Remini, a normal among the freaks, on the run from McGreavys Home for Wayward Girls, where Mister watches and waits. He said he would always find Portia, that she could never leave. Free at last, Portia begins a new life on the bally, seeking answers about her fathers disappearance. Will she find him before Mister finds her? Its a story for the ages, and like everyone who enters the Wonder Show, Portia will never be the same.
About the Author
Hannah Barnaby holds an MA in childrens literature from Simmons College and an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College. Formerly a childrens book editor, she also has worked as a bookseller and a writing instructor. Han