First published 2014
Under the big top, performers balance on high wires while safety nets stretch below them. Armstrong uses this circus setting to tell two interconnected stories. Children watch their parents navigate cancer treatment like tightrope walkers, learning how they can contribute threads to the family's safety net. The circus acts mirror real life as family members, friends, and caregivers discover their power to strengthen the net through small acts of support. Each person who helps adds another strand, making the net stronger for when someone falls. The story shows children that they have an active role in helping their parents through illness and recovery. Parents and caregivers see themselves reflected in the circus performers, understanding that accepting help builds strength rather than showing weakness. The colorful circus world makes difficult conversations about cancer more approachable for families facing treatment together.
Genres: fiction, family-life, medical, contemporary
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-dynamics, found-family
49 pages · ebook · American Cancer Society
Content warnings: medical-trauma