I won my copy of Circa Now in a giveaway held by the marvelous Barbara Watson–many thanks!  She’s a regular MMGM participant, and offers great reviews on her blog, so go check her out.  I’m always grateful to people who connect me with great books, and this one is definitely a keeper!

My initial impression of Circa Now was mixed.  I liked the main character, Circa, and appreciated the diversity aspect, but felt like the opening voice and tone wasn’t as smooth as it could have been.  Then, ‘the ordeal’ happens, as Circa later terms it, and I felt like the tone shifted so much it was almost as if I’d been dropped into a whole new book.  It was then that I put it down.  It wasn’t bad, it just seemed to be going in different directions and I was distracted and had other books clamoring for my attention.

Flash forward a couple weeks, to my picking it back up.  I generally try not to leave books unfinished unless they’re really bad or getting under my skin for some reason, and Circa’s story had already taken root in my heart.  However, I wasn’t expecting the book to suddenly collect itself and take off–but that’s exactly what happened!  In fact, I’d started reading just before my family called me away to watch a movie, so I brought the book along and read it by light of the flickering screen and the recessed pools of light around me.  Then I stayed up that night til 2:30am to finish it!

So, yeah…if at first it doesn’t connect, give it a little time. 🙂

A couple things I loved about it, which go above and beyond the great story:

• That both Circa and her best friend, Nattie, are smart in ‘boy fields’ of technology and science (respectively) but they’re also thorough girls, and therefor more accessible to readers who may not easily connect to tomboys or total geek girls.
• That even though Circa gets teased because she’s only got one pinkie finger, her mom struggles with depression, and she has to move a mountain of grief, this book is more than any specific issues, and reaches past all those things to a universal story heart.
• That Circa is white while Nattie is black (it’s presumed) but they’re still not only best friends, their families are best friends, and it’s not portrayed as any big deal.  I know racism is alive and well and there’s a need to show it clearly.  But, there’s also a need to show kids (and adults!) that it doesn’t always have to be about race.  Sometimes, it can just be about people who are friends and care for each other.
• The sense of wonder which grows throughout the book stops to drink at the magic realism fountain, and leaves you feeling like the world can hold more hope and bigger possibilities than your average cynic would allow.

I could go on, but I’m trying to avoid spoilers. 🙂  Let’s see what Apricot-kitty thought:

“I like the cover.  All those adorable fish, floating in the air like beautiful, tasty, dreams come true!  The book was good, too.  Nice people, doing interesting stuff.  Funny casseroles and an atrium that sounds perfect for curling up in the sunshine.  But, the cover is my favorite part.”

The cover is really fun, and reminds me–throughout the book ‘shopt’ images which Circa or her father put together are included, with funny anecdotes explaining how the robot happened to be standing by to assist the girl in balancing on her head with a pile of pancakes on her feet, or whatever.  And irregardless of the reader’s interest in computer images and photoshop, these tiny bonus stories inside the story are sure to win smiles!

Many thanks, again, to Barbara Watson and author Amber McRee Turner for the giveaway.  For more giveaways and Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays, stop by Shannon’s blog–and happy reading!

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