Early Book Review: The Quirks in Circus Quirkus by Erin Soderberg

The Quirks in Circus Quirkus by Erin Soderberg is a children's chapter book schedule for release on February 4 2014. The Quirk family is not exactly typical. Mom can look people in the eye and convince them of just about anything, Finn is invisible unless he is chewing gum, grandma Quirk is the size of a bird, grandpa Quirk can play with time, and Penelope's imagination sometimes gets away with her in a big way. Then there is Molly, Penelope's twin sister. She is the odd man out in the family. Her only quirk is that no one else's abilities effect her. The family is just getting settled into a new house, in a new town, when a nosy neighbor just might make them move away again. To make things even more stressful, the circus has come to town, and the kids are learning acts with the possibility of performing in front of the entire town. Can the Quirk family keep their differences a secret, or will they be forced to move again?

I somehow missed that The Quirks in Circus Quirkus is the sequel of The Quirks: Welcome to Normal. While I did not read the first book, I felt that I had a good idea of who everyone was and what was going on in short order. Newcomers to the series (like myself) will not be lost or miss out on enjoying Circus Quirkus. I really enjoyed the characters and family dynamics of the Quirks. While they might not be the most normal family because of their powers, the way they relate to each other and the fears of Molly ring true to me. I think young readers will relate to the characters, while laughing at some of their antics and worrying about the conflicts that involve their neighbor and school. I think the school bully, and desire to fit in, as well as the sibling give and take will particularly draw in most readers. The twists and resolution made me happy, and left me eager to go back and read how this adventure started.

I would recommend The Quirks in Circus Quirkus to middle grade readers that like books that involve magic, siblings, and school dynamics. The story is fun and made me smile as I read. Readers that have read and enjoyed The Quirks: Welcome to Normal will likely enjoy this book even more than I did.