That Time I Joined the Circus

by J. J. Howard

Overview

Lexi Ryan just ran away to join the circus, but not on purpose.

A music-obsessed, slightly snarky New York City girl, Lexi is on her own. After making a huge mistake--and facing a terrible tragedy--Lexi has no choice but to track down her long-absent mother. Rumor has it that Lexi's mom is somewhere in Florida with a traveling circus.When Lexi arrives at her new three-ring reality, her mom isn't there . . . but her destiny might be. Surrounded by tigers, elephants, and trapeze artists, Lexi finds some surprising friends and an even more surprising chance at true love. She also lucks into a spot as the circus's fortune teller, reading tarot cards and making predictions.But then Lexi's ex-best friend from home shows up, and suddenly it's Lexi's own future that's thrown into question.With humor, wisdom, and a dazzlingly fresh voice, this debut reminds us of the magic of circus tents, city lights, first kisses, and the importance of an excellent playlist.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545520799
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	04/01/2013
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

J.J. Howard is the author of Sit, Stay, Love; Pugs and Kisses; Pugs in a Blanket; The Love Pug; and That Time I Joined the Circus. She teaches English in Florida, where she lives with one very spoiled miniature dachshund named Willow. Visit J.J. online at jjhowardbooks.com.

Read an Excerpt

From That Time I Joined the Circus:

So here I am saying goodbye to my neighborhood, alone, with no plan beyond the bus station and a really crummy song about love stuck in my head. And of course my mother to go and find. What kind of father sends all his money to his crazy ex-wife and leaves his daughter completely broke? And what kind of mother runs away and joins the circus?

Editorial Reviews

After high school senior Lexi's dad dies, she's forced to head for Florida, where her long-absent mother might be working for a circus. Another compelling reason for leaving New York City--besides being evicted from her apartment and kicked out of her private school because she now lacks a parent to sign her in--is that the night of her father's accident, she slept with her best friend Eli, even though he was dating her other best friend, Bailey. Since Eli didn't come to her desperately needed rescue after her life started to crumble, she's pretty certain he's chosen to stay with Bailey. In Florida, she's quickly hired by the circus and finds devoted friends among the cast and crew. This makes it easier to ignore the mess her life is now in: no school, her still-missing mother and unresolved issues with Eli. Moving smoothly between chapters set in Florida and flashbacks to the days before her father's death, debut author Howard effectively depicts an attractive heroine with a notably sarcastic but nonetheless charming attitude. If things fall apart a bit too fast in the beginning and are resolved a little too facilely at the end, Lexi's narration is entertaining enough to forgive those minor shortcomings. Since Lexi says her "life has a soundtrack," each chapter begins with pertinent and pithy lyrics with band attributions. For any reader who ever has felt like running away to join the circus. (Fiction. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews