Miles Wednesday is the boy that lives in a barrel. He was orphaned as a baby and escaped from the horrible Pinchbucket orphanage so that he can live on his own. Miles notices that the Circus Oscuro is in town and he is approached by a talking tiger. Miles does not know if he is imagining things or if the tiger is real. He decides that he needs to see this circus for himself and find his tiger friend who has disappeared. Miles' trip to the circus does not go well and he soon finds himself with a 400 year-old winged angel called Little who needs his help finding her friend.

The two of them set out to find the Palace of Laughter where he is being held. Along the way they encounter a scary beast called The Null, a gang of Halfheads, a blind explorer and the talking tiger. The descriptions of the people they meet and the places they go make you feel like you're riding on the tiger's back with Miles and Little and fighting the Halfheads on their turf. Miles doesn't stop to question any of the sites he is seeing. He accepts all of the quirks that come with each adventure and the pace of the book is as quick as the lightning being thrown by Little's friend. The villains are well-defined and there is no doubt who you are rooting against. Miles may be an orphan and homeless but he is rich with friendship and does not waste time feeling bad for himself. He is a fighter who is very courageous while trying to help his new friend Little.

© 2007 Amy Ridley

Amy Ridley received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Boston University.

Categories: Children