The verse is sprightly, but the pictures are the true stunners. Paine’s attempt to reclaim his menagerie. Amusingly, animals and villagers collude to thwart Mr. A fire in a farm shed-with little Emma Rose Abbott inside!-engenders a dramatic rescue by the tiger, whose skill in leaping through flames comes into play. At first they shock villagers and run mischievously amok. The 15 animals aboard The Royal Star swim to an island off Maine after the ship runs aground and the circus’s owner, Mr.

You can expand upon them, or add your own twist.Van Dusen’s rhyming text takes inspiration from an 1836 shipwreck, but fanciful fun, not tragedy, awaits readers here. You can use them, but you don't have to use them. *Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions. Write the name of your ship on the bottom. Use a paper plate (or cut a half-circle out of construction paper). Which animals would you want to live with you?Ĭan you spot the animals hiding in plain sight when Mr.

Where is Maine? Where is Boston? (if there is no detailed map in the classroom, point out the area in the northeast of U.S.) Menagerie - a collection of wild animals kept in captivity for exhibition.ĭiscussion topics for during/after reading: Murk - darkness or thick mist that makes it difficult to see. Ledge - an underwater ridge, especially of rocks beneath the sea near the shore.įerry - transport (people, vehicles, or goods) by boat across a body of water.īedraggled - wet or dirty from being in rain or mud.īloomers - women's loose-fitting knee-length underpants, considered old-fashioned. Helm - a tiller or wheel and any associated equipment for steering a ship or boat. Refugee - a person (or in this case, an animal) who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. You might want to have the kids point out new words they have not seen before, read the definition, and point out on the page, if pictured. There are several vocabulary words listed below. With buoyant rhymes and brilliantly caricatured illustrations evoking the early nineteenth century, Chris Van Dusen presents a hugely entertaining tale about the bonds of community - and a rare hidden-pictures spread for eagle-eyed readers of all ages. So well do the critters blend in that when the greedy circus owner returns to claim them, villagers of all species conspire to outsmart the bloated blowhard. Staggering onto a nearby island, they soon win over the wary townspeople with their kind, courageous ways. When a circus ship runs aground off the coast of Maine, the poor animals are left on their own to swim the chilly waters. Grade Level: 2nd (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.) Volunteers needed in May! Click here to sign up.

The circus ship