Harold's Circus (1959) by Crocket Johnson is a story for the history student, in my opinion. It archives social attitudes of the 1950's with its circus theme. As Harold's life unfolds, he responds with quick-witted solutions. Despite the minimal text and simple line drawings, Johnson's content draws us in to a child's responses to the unpredictable. This may be why I enjoy Harold books so much. However, attitudes of the 1950's don't generalize to 2021. The circus is no longer sanctioned and topics once funny are no longer. For example, "Like all circuses, it had a fat lady. She was really amazingly fat." The ideas of being supported (by an elephant's trunk), finding success (riding a circus horse), and discovering courage (looking into a lion's mouth) are universal lessons cleverly captured by Harold's adventures. Children who read this book in 2021 will need help with its images.
Kay Rose has Circus Bingo. Melissa Mundy has The First Grade Math Circus. Alyssa Grubbs has a Circus Theme Parent Newsletter.
