Review by Booklist Review
Mirabelle and Meg are the twin daughters of famous acrobats, but only Mirabelle seems to have inherited their talents. From the time she was a baby, she's loved climbing and jumping as high as she can, while inquisitive Meg has always preferred talking and reading with her feet firmly planted on the ground. When the parents take their daughters into the training tent one afternoon, Mirabelle takes to her surroundings like a duck to water. Meg, on the other hand, has a disastrous time and is revealed to have a fear of heights. Simple artwork featuring black outlines and primary colors carries a slight vintage vibe and a dynamic mix of action sequences, full-page illustrations, and dramatic double-page spreads. These large-scale scenes are ideal for group sharing, and Mirabelle's fondness for blue and Meg's for yellow make identifying the twins a cinch. After Mirabelle's circus debut, her own phobia is discovered, but happily Meg's natural talents are exactly what the situation calls for. A cute ode to individuality.--Julia Smith Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1--Young Mirabelle and Meg Moffat and their parents are members of a traveling circus. Though the girls are identical twins, they are nothing alike. Mirabelle takes after her parents with their love of acrobatics, while Meg prefers two feet on the ground. Mirabelle never stops climbing; Meg never stops talking. When Mirabelle makes her debut, all are amazed, but it turns out Mirabelle isn't completely fearless. While Meg might fear heights, Mirabelle is afraid of public speaking. The color scheme and drawings are simple, with Meg highlighted in yellow and Mirabelle standing out in blue. The action in the book is set against a mostly white background with the circus tent popping in red. VERDICT A delightful story about twins and a reminder that talent is individual. A fun read-aloud for storytime or one-on-one (or two) sharing.--Shana Shea, Windsor Public Library, CT
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Identical twins find their individuality at the circus.Mirabelle and Meg Moffat have grown up traveling with their circus-acrobat parents. While the twins resemble each other, with elongated, oval heads; rosy cheeks; and large, expressive black dots for eyes, their personalities are nothing alike. From a young age, Mirabelle, always dressed in blue, has liked action, much to her parents' delight. Meg, always dressed in yellow, has preferred talkingand staying on the ground. When their parents decide it's time they join the family business, Mirabelle takes to acrobatics with ease. Deemed "fearless," she becomes the headliner for the next show. But as Meg takes her turn on the trapeze platform, she becomes speechless for the first time, and her parents realize that she is afraid of heights. On the day of Mirabelle's grand debut, action verbs describe her amazing feats and the crowd's response. But when the press demands interviews afterward, she finds herself speechless and afraid. Meg finally recognizes her own fearless talent, becoming the spokesperson and announcer for the circus. While the finale highlights individualism, wise caregivers will also note the common pitfall of expecting children to follow in their footsteps. The twins' yellows and blues set against the reds of the circus tent give the story a pleasing primary palette and retro style befitting the circus theme. While the girls and their parents are white, the audience is diverse.Big top fun. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
