First of a fantastic series of four books starting in Ireland and following characters as they move to Australia. Fantastic read aloud for grade 5/6 classes. ( )

first line: "Gus lay listening in the dark."

I'm partial to books about the circus (sideshows, carnivals, freaks, etc.), so of course I enjoyed Zarconi's Magic Flying Fish, about a boy who travels with his grandparents' small Australian circus. There are a few stories within the main plot, and common themes are family relationships and the consequences of choices.

On a side note, I love the humorous hand-drawn map inside each cover, and all the unfamiliar Australian terms (e.g. willy-nilly = dust storm...icy-pole = Popsicle). ( )