First published 1996
Ivy lives in Springfield, a quiet Midwestern town where nothing exciting ever happens. Everything changes when circus performers start moving in as permanent residents. First come the Halibuts, followed by Elmira Degoochy who works with snakes, then the Flying Gambinis with all seven performers and their mother. Mrs. Harrison tells fortunes and Mr. Wydel shows off his strength. Ivy befriends Alfred Halibut, whose father manages circus publicity and who shares her love of writing. She grows close to the other circus folks too. But many Springfield residents react badly to these unusual new neighbors. The townspeople view the performers with suspicion and hostility. Tensions build until they explode at the annual Springfield bake-off, where pies start flying in all directions. In the chaos of the food fight, only one person can restore calm and help the community find acceptance.
Genres: fiction, contemporary, magical-realism
Vibes: emotional, intimate, whimsical
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Springfield, Midwestern Town
Period: 20th-century
144 pages · Hardcover · Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)