The Circus Train by Amita Parikh

THE CIRCUS TRAIN by Amita Parikh is a work of historical fiction and an international best seller. The debut novel was chosen as the #1 LibraryReads selection for December. The suspenseful story of survival takes place in Europe during the 1930s (and later) at a touring circus named the World of Wonders. The main characters are Theo Papadopoulos, a talented illusionist and over-protective father to Lena, who had polio as an infant and must use a wheelchair; and Alexandre, a young Jewish orphan who becomes Theo’s apprentice and Lena’s close friend. A key theme of the novel is persistence and resilience; it is reflected in Lena’s efforts to learn to walk and the later descriptions of conditions in a concentration camp when the trio are separated. Parikh writes, “Your greatest achievements often grow out of the worst circumstances” and uses her research to accurately depict disability and hardship at that time, all while developing empathy and concern for her realistic characters. Booklist recommended THE CIRCUS TRAIN for teens, saying “Teens who enjoy coming-of-age journeys will be drawn to Lena’s story and the intriguing traveling-circus setting.” Of course, comparisons will be made to Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants, but the time period and adolescent characters are also reminiscent of WWII titles by Ruth Sepetys (like Salt to the Sea) or Elizabeth Wein (Code Name Verity; Rose Under Fire).