In 1920 on a family farm in Michigan, 12-year-old Suzy describes a unique set of characters and situations with an innocent wit and surprising insight. Everyone around her seems content to remain in their home town, but Suzy wants to see the world. Could training famous Madame's ostrich be her ticket out? Betsy Bird's tale is adventurous and entertaining, but more than that, it's a story of inspiration for anyone who holds onto a dream with "the strongest grip" and "never lets go." The author's end notes were enlightening and enjoyable as well. Adding this to our grade 4/5 school library. ( )

Suzy is a farm girl who dreams of getting out, and when she discovers that her Uncle Frank is working for local celebrity Madame Marantette, Suzy tags along and begins riding one of Madame's ostriches, Gaucho. Researching Madame at the public library with her friend Mimi, Suzy discovers that she began life as Emma Peek, got noticed for riding sidesaddle, and traveled the world (at least the U.S. and Europe) with a circus. Suzy decides that riding Gaucho in the parade will be her ticket out of town as well, but there are some bumps along the way.

Quotes

If you keep meeting people, over and over, does it change your brain so that you're not new anymore? Does meeting more and more people make you a different kind of person? (28)

Simple answers are good. You can only mess up so much when you keep things simple. (94)

"Let me ask you this: What is the one thing in life that determines your success?"
...
"The inability to give up even when others tell you that you should. In this life, you get ahead if you have brains, and you get ahead if you have beauty. But if you have no more brains and no more beauty than anyone else around you, then you hold on to what you want and you do not let go." (Madame to Suzy, 96)

"Sometimes I think ignorance is what allows us to bash through barriers that we didn't even know existed." (Madame, 98)

First things first, I told myself...First, how to get out.
Then, later, worry about why you'd ever want to come back. (119)

"'Cause even if you're the most famous person in the world, you don't get to belong anywhere but where you started from." (Bill to Suzy, 137)

"I never had to come back. But if you don't go back to where you are from, how else can you remember where you've been?" (Madame, 156)

The Madame said that if you don't ask permission and just do something like it's already a done deal, often people will let you get away with it. (224-225)

See, that's how you know when a book is written by a librarian. They're just going to recommend you go out and read another book right afterward. Ha! (Acknowledgments, 246) ( )

Fun historical fiction for mg readers that actually is based in some facts. ( )

Long Road to the Circus
by Betsy Bird
This is quite a book! A feisty young girl wants out of her boring town and will do just about anything to do it. When her lazy but travelled uncle comes back she decided to enlist his help. He had worked for a woman that raised ostriches and the young gal was determined to ride them! She has a strong grip and stronger determination!
Great art work scattered throughout! A fun story kids will enjoy. ( )