Author: George Sullivan
Publication: Clarion Books, February 2011
My Star Rating: 5 stars out of 5 = I Love It
Summary Statement: Engaging Biography That Handles a Sensitive Topic Well -- Great for a Read Aloud
Published for readers 10-14, this biography of Tom Thumb (born 1838) is engaging and enlightening. After drawing us in with information about who Tom Thumb was, the author quickly shifts gears to address what dwarfism is and about life in the mid-1800s and tells us what freak shows were, and shows us other examples of commonly seen “freaks”. After having told us enough to satisfy our first questions (since the idea of freak shows may surprise if not shock the kids of the 2010s), the book tells about the life of Charles Stratton, whose stage name was Tom Thumb.
The book also tells a fair amount about P.T. Barnum, the man who discovered four year old Stratton and offered him a job as a stage performer. Since Barnum and Stratton’s lives were so enmeshed, we also follow the rise and trials and tribulations of Barnum’s career. The book discusses Tom Thumb’s entire lifespan and wraps up by sharing what happened to his widow, Lavinia, after his passing. At the end it tells the evolution of entertainment field options for dwarfs at the time shortly after his passing, which included Lilliputia at Coney Island and new ventures into silent movie acting in Hollywood.
Three things make this book outstanding:
First, it is competently engaging and interesting throughout, a page turner and a book that you don’t want to put down as you are truly interested in what was going to happen next. It is paced well and has so many facts but the facts are given in an interesting way, we can’t help but learn about life in those times, the threat of fire, and other things. This biography is as engaging as a fun fiction read usually is. The book has obviously been well researched and there are references to the source material in the back of the book. It also contains historical photographs which help bring the words on the page to life.
Second, Sullivan (an author who has published over a hundred books but whose work I’d not ever read), does a fantastic job of handling the difficult topic of what would be labeled as exploitation of a dwarf. Just the mention of a freak show today is enough to raise the hackles of many Americans but the author is gentle and shows the happy life and positive outlook felt by Charles Stratton, how he was in control and took advantage of his physical condition to become a wealthy celebrity.
Third but not least important is the tone of the book is not patronizing. The author does not ‘talk down’ to his child readers.
The book is respectful and sensitive. It is clear that Charles Stratton was not a victim or abused or mistreated, he was in control and overall he enjoyed his life. Although late in his life he yearned for peaceful relaxation, when he chose to go back on the road (under his own management) to perform more it was because his wife wanted to, and it was a private matter he negotiated as married couples still do today. It seems that he performed longer than he’d wanted to in an act of self-sacrifice to satisfy her wishes so she could fulfill her entertainment career goals.
Who Should Read This Book?
The book is marketed for the 10-14 year old audience but I’m not quite sure why. The font is larger than is typical and it has more than usual white space on the page, two factors that make for easier reading by kids younger than 10 which is also ideal for readers with certain learning disabilities such as visual processing issues, eye tracking problems or even dyslexia. Other than mentioning the alcohol that is consumed (a true fact) and the general issue of people with various physical conditions that participated in freak shows and the issue of exploitation, I feel the content is fine for younger readers.
The sensitive issues in the book regarding humans in “freak shows” or people such as Barnum profiting from a person’s physical condition could be a platform for discussing that important topic with younger children. While some parents may worry that their sensitive child may not be able to handle such a sensitive topic I disagree; I feel that the book is so empathetic and the author handled a difficult topic so well that the book could be used as device to gently introduce these ideas to younger kids if the parent or teacher (who also read the book) discusses these things.
I do not recommend just shoving the book into a child’s hands and letting them read it independently as the book’s message would be more effective if the child could discuss the topics with an adult. Therefore I do recommend this book for younger readers. Advanced readers who love nonfiction reading, might be happy to have read this book, and even kids with good vocabularies as young as age 7 or 6.
It is perfect for a family read-aloud and discussing things along the way, or as a read-aloud in a classroom, with classroom discussion.
Not only is this obviously a good book about dwarfism it is a historical book that makes sense to read when studying this period in history as a good deal about daily life in the 1800s comes through.
I rate this biography nonfiction book 5 stars = I Love It.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from Amazon.com's Vine program. I was not paid to write it nor was I under obligation to review it positively. For my blog's full disclosure statement see the link at the top of my blog's sidebar.
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