ABOUT THIS BOOK

Step right up! Meet the astounding . . . the amazing . . . P. T. Barnum!

The award-winning author of The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary, Our Eleanor, and Ben Franklin’s Almanac brings us the larger-than-life biography of showman P. T. Barnum. Known far and wide for his jumbo elephants, midgets, and three-ring circuses, here’s a complete and captivating look at the man behind the Greatest Show on Earth. Readers can visit Barnum’s American Museum; meet Tom Thumb, the miniature man (only 39 inches tall) and his tinier bride (32 inches); experience the thrill Barnum must have felt when, at age 60, he joined the circus; and discover Barnum’s legacy to the 19th century and beyond. Drawing on old circus posters, photographs, etchings, ticket stubs—and with incredible decorative art by Ray Fenwick—this book presents history as it’s never been experienced before—a show-stopping event!


REVIEWS

Starred Review, Booklist, June 1, 2009:
“The material is inherently juicy, but credit Fleming’s vivacious prose, bountiful period illustrations, and copious source notes for fashioning a full picture of one of the forbearers of modern celebrity.”

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2009:
"As revealing as it is entertaining."


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Candace Fleming is the prolific author of many critically acclaimed, bestselling books for children. She lives in Mt. Prospect, Illinois.