Louise Trapeze Is Totally 100% Fearless

June 15, 2015
Louise is about to turn seven, and her parents are finally letting her perform on the trapeze with them as part of the Sweet Potato Traveling Circus Troupe. But Louise has a “deepest, darkest secret”: “I, Louise Trapeze, am totally one hundred percent afraid of heights!” Ostow dots Louise’s narration with italicized exclamations (Louise’s favorites include “actually” and “Can you even?”) that quickly establish her ebullient personality. Accented with pink, Barrager’s scraggly line illustrations do a fine job of capturing Louise’s enthusiasms and fears, as well as the eccentric circus setting. Ages 6–9. Author’s agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House. Illustrator’s agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Productions.

April 15, 2015
Seven-year-old Louise Trapeze is finally old enough to fly in her circus act-but the platform is so very, very high. Louise wants nothing more than to be grown up. She uses words like "actually" and "superb" (as Louse describes: "It's much more mature than just plain super") to feel sophisticated. But when it is her Birthday Eve and her parents surprise her with a sparkly, new leotard for her flying-trapeze act debut, she feels anything but mature. In fact, her stomach feels "squeezy," and her heart goes "skitter-skitter-skitter." Louise Trapeze is 100 percent afraid of heights! The hardest part is that Louise can't tell anyone. What if they kick her out of the circus? Louise's dramatic precociousness (the text is scattered with hand-lettered facts, vocabulary definitions, and asides) is reminiscent of another certain fancy gal that readers adore. Even when filled to the brim with young angst-a skirmish with her best friend, a tangle with the resident bully, and, of course, Louise's internal struggle with her deep, dark secret-Louise Trapeze is still lighthearted and cheery. A sweet peek beneath the big top; readers will clamor for the next one. (Fiction. 6-9)

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May 1, 2015

Gr 1-3-Louise Trapeze is the exuberant daughter of trapeze artist parents, and her best friend, Stella Dee Saxophone, helps her parents train and perform with an elephant named Clementine. They are all part of the Sweet Potato Traveling Circus Troupe. Louise has been training on a Louise-size trapeze and a tight rope low to the ground as she waits to be old enough to perform with her parents. It is the eve of her birthday, which means that she will finally get the chance to perform. However, when she prepares to practice her routine in front of Stella and the ringmaster's son Fernando (her sworn enemy whom she calls Ferret-breath), something goes wrong. Louise doesn't want to climb high or fall to the net after she does the splits on the trapeze. Later that night when Louise and Stella are having a sleepover, Stella tells Louise that she doesn't have to be 100% fearless. This upsets Louise, who refuses to admit to anyone that she is afraid. The protagonist runs off and hides her brand-new tutu for her performance, and then believing she really has lost it, the rest of the troupe spread out to help her find it. Misadventure and revelations ensue. Louise is an adorable character with a genuine personality and larger-than-life emotions. Her fascination with knowing, using, and explaining big words is reminiscent of Fancy Nancy. The charming two-color illustrations throughout will help young readers interpret the story in this early chapter book. VERDICT A first purchase and dazzling readalike for "Ivy and Bean" (Chronicle) fans.-Nancy Jo Lambert, McSpedden Elementary Frisco, TX

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2015
Grades 1-4 Cheeze Louise and holy trapeze! It's Louise's birthday eve! This soon-to-be seven-year-old is itching to be another year closer to nine, the magical age when she will be old enough to perform with her parents on the flying trapeze in the Sweet Potato Traveling Circus. For now, though, she is stuck on the Louise-height static trapezeor so she thinks. When her parents surprise her with the announcement that she will make her flying debut the next day for her birthday, Louise suddenly realizes just how high up that trapeze is. Is it possible that an aerialist like Louise could be afraid of heights? This bouncy story focuses on what it means to be brave and offers tender examples of friendship and family support. Short chapters are peppered with sketch illustrations, splashes of pink, and Louise's handwritten asides. Her love of flashy costumes and mature vocabulary (superb and actually) make this a natural choice for Fancy Nancy graduates, while the friendship theme is perfect for Ivy and Bean fans. A high-flying series starter.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)