DAD RUNS AWAY WITH THE CIRCUS

The circus is coming! Dad’s swinging from the chandelier in excitement, but young Zach and Audrey just shrug. No biggie—until Dad actually departs with the big top. Modan puts simply drawn cartoon figures in a contemporary, flat-perspective setting, using smudgy colors to reflect the childrens’ sadness. Having sent letters from all over the world detailing his experiences, Dad returns at last—and in a climactic gatefold, Zach and Audren are amazed to see their father doing it all, from Ringmaster to clown, from animal tamer to firebreather. Even better, he comes home to stay, and in no time has the whole family leaping and twirling acrobatically. One line of text falls flat, possibly due to poor translation (“According to Mom, getting soaked [by rain] could be hazardous to your health. But Dad said that if you compared it to putting your head in a lion’s mouth, it was child’s play”), but the tale has an offhand charm that suits the offbeat premise. (Picture book. 7-9)