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Chris Van Dusen
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The Circus Ship Hardcover – Picture Book, September 22, 2009

by Chris Van Dusen (Author, Illustrator)
4.9 out of 5 stars 1,730 ratings
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With stunning artwork and a rhyming text, the illustrator of the Mercy Watson books tells a tale of human-animal connection full of humor and heart.

When a circus ship runs aground off the coast of Maine, the poor animals are left on their own to swim the chilly waters. Staggering onto a nearby island, they soon win over the wary townspeople with their kind, courageous ways. So well do the critters blend in that when the greedy circus owner returns to claim them, villagers of all species conspire to outsmart the bloated blowhard. With buoyant rhymes and brilliantly caricatured illustrations evoking the early nineteenth century, Chris Van Dusen presents a hugely entertaining tale about the bonds of community — and a rare hidden-pictures spread for eagle-eyed readers of all ages.
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  1. Reading age
    2 - 5 years, from customers
  2. Print length
    40 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Preschool - 3
  5. Lexile measure
    AD600L
  6. Dimensions
    10.25 x 0.39 x 10.56 inches
  7. Publisher
    Candlewick
  8. Publication date
    September 22, 2009
  9. ISBN-10
    076363090X
  10. ISBN-13
    978-0763630904
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From the Publisher

"Van Dusen's (‘The Circus Ship') sleekly painted lake is a midsummer day's dream: saturated greens, glimmering blue water and little red boats you're dying to take for a spin."

—The New York Times Book Review.

"Readers are treated to a terrific mélange of satire, slapstick, and caricature, all served up with expert comic timing. Van Dusen (The Circus Ship) may be puncturing the myth of infallible monarchy, but readers will have no trouble pledging obeisance to his comic majesty.

—Publishers Weekly (starred review).

"With all the bases covered-musical text, entertaining artwork, and surefire subject matter-this title bats 1,000 for group or lapsit read-alouds."

—School Library Journal.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1—After their steamship en route to Boston is wrecked in a storm, a troupe of circus animals escapes bad treatment and disaster, finding its way to an island off the coast of Maine. The 1800s residents are surprised to find zebras eating their gardens and alligators lounging on woodpiles. Sympathies change when a tiger saves a toddler from a blazing shed. When a messenger announces that the cruel circus owner is returning to claim his menagerie, the citizens assist the animals in disguises and camouflage that confound him, leaving the friends to a peaceful coexistence. Van Dusen's rhymed text keeps a rollicking beat. His illustrations burst with color and energy and utilize perspective and texture to add drama and humor. Period details create a counterpoint with elements like a gorilla in a lifeboat. The spread of the animals in "hiding" is pure genius. The book honors the real circus animals that inspired this story.—Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA END

Review

The verse is sprightly, but the pictures are the true stunners. Bright, lampooning gouaches (familiar from the Mercy Watson series) and dizzying perspective perfectly suit this picaresque tale...Children will pore over panoramic spreads that invite them to find each of the 15 animals and celebrate a denouement that serves up Mr. Paine's just deserts. Splendid!
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Candlewick; Illustrated edition (September 22, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 076363090X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0763630904
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 2 - 5 years, from customers
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ AD600L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10.25 x 0.39 x 10.56 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.9 out of 5 stars 1,730 ratings

About the author

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Chris Van Dusen

Chris Van Dusen

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Chris Van Dusen has created illustrations that have been published in magazines and books and printed on T-shirts and greeting cards. He lives in Maine with his wife, two sons and, naturally a dog.

Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
1,730 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers love this picture book for its spectacular illustrations with vivid colors, and find it loads of fun to read, with one review noting how students are enthralled by the story. The book features wonderful rhyming and clever verse, and customers particularly enjoy searching for the hidden animals throughout the story. They appreciate its appeal to all ages, making it a hit for both boys and girls.

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208 customers mention "Illustrations"208 positive0 negative

Customers love the illustrations in this book, describing them as charming and spectacular with vivid colors, and one customer particularly appreciates the animals' facial expressions.

"...The pictures are well drawn and very colorful. The rhyming and lyricism of the words makes it fun and easy to read. And the story is super charming!..." Read more

"...The story is delightful, the rhymes are snappy, and the illustrations are gold...." Read more

"...The rhyme is fun to read but the illustrations really bring it to life. It’s such a satisfying story and we loved looking for all 15 hidden animals...." Read more

"Entertaining, moral, beautifully illustrated. My go to book for every new baby or kids gift." Read more

128 customers mention "Story quality"128 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story of the book, finding it well-written and fun, with one customer noting its catchy rhyming style.

"...And the story is super charming! There are even parts that can lend themselves to "find/seek" discussions with your kiddo...." Read more

"...The story is delightful, the rhymes are snappy, and the illustrations are gold...." Read more

"...It’s such a satisfying story and we loved looking for all 15 hidden animals. Definitely her favorite page! Excellent book!" Read more

"This is such a great story! The illustrations are fun. My kids loved searching for the animals on the page where they hide...." Read more

119 customers mention "Fun to read"119 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and loads of fun to read, particularly noting that it's suitable for 3-year-olds and older children, with one customer mentioning the rhythm of reading it is enjoyable.

"...The rhyming and lyricism of the words makes it fun and easy to read. And the story is super charming!..." Read more

"Entertaining, moral, beautifully illustrated. My go to book for every new baby or kids gift." Read more

"...It is serious and then funny, which is great entertainment for kids." Read more

"All our grandchildren enjoy this book and I enjoy reading it. It’s fun to find and name the animals, especially in hiding." Read more

97 customers mention "Rhyme quality"97 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's rhyming style, describing it as wonderful and clever, with a great rhythm that makes it melodic to read.

"...The rhyming and lyricism of the words makes it fun and easy to read. And the story is super charming!..." Read more

"...The story is delightful, the rhymes are snappy, and the illustrations are gold...." Read more

"...The rhyme is fun to read but the illustrations really bring it to life. It’s such a satisfying story and we loved looking for all 15 hidden animals...." Read more

"...The book reads smoothly with a rhyming beat. It uses great vocabulary words but not to the point of loosing interest of a 3 year old...." Read more

47 customers mention "Animal content"47 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy searching for hidden animals in the book, with several mentioning they love pointing them out and finding them throughout the story.

"This book has everything: a shipwreck, an house on fire, advocating for animal rights, and a bad guy who gets what’s coming...." Read more

"...It’s such a satisfying story and we loved looking for all 15 hidden animals. Definitely her favorite page! Excellent book!" Read more

"...It’s fun to find and name the animals, especially in hiding." Read more

"This is one of our FAVORITE books. Kids love it. It is fun to look for the animals and we love the reference to Boston." Read more

22 customers mention "Gift value"22 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a hit for all ages, appealing to both boys and girls, making it a great addition to family libraries and an ideal gift choice.

"...It was a hit for all ages!" Read more

"...I have given this as a gift to many families. It appeals to both boys and girls, although I have to admit that in general, his books do have a slant..." Read more

"...We have gifted it many times since then. Perfect for both boys and girls." Read more

"...This is one that appeals to boys and girls of all ages and is worth owning." Read more

Our favorite children's book author and illustrator
5 out of 5 stars
Our favorite children's book author and illustrator
Mr Van Dusen's books are wonderful- we have time all! Fun, lyrical rhymes with great inventive stories and cheerful hilarious art. Actually fun for the adult to read. My kids 2- 4 love his books. This circus one has an especially fun page where the townspeople are trying to hide the circus animals so the mean ringmaster can't force them back to work for him...the animals are all cleverly camouflaged and our preschooler's had great fun finding them all. This is an author that never seems to get lazy with his stories. Randy Riley's really big hit, and If I built a car are two of our favorites, but they are all great. King Hugo's really big ego is great too!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • CA_shopper
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best picture books! Fun for toddlers AND parents!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Hands down one of my favorite books to read to my toddler (2 yrs) kiddo. My toddler has a ferocious appetite for story time, so we end up cycling through a lot of picture books. There are some kiddo likes and I think are horrible. There are some that are just fine. But this one is great for both of us. The pictures are well drawn and very colorful. The rhyming and lyricism of the words makes it fun and easy to read. And the story is super charming! There are even parts that can lend themselves to "find/seek" discussions with your kiddo. This has even become my go-to when purchasing books for gifting purposes.
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  • Kimberly
    5.0 out of 5 stars Teacher-Approved Rhymes
    Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    This book has everything: a shipwreck, an house on fire, advocating for animal rights, and a bad guy who gets what’s coming. It gives “Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs” vibes but with more tigers in people’s bathtubs.

    The story is delightful, the rhymes are snappy, and the illustrations are gold. There’s even a hilarious “find the hidden animals” page where the circus creatures blend into the town, proving once and for all that a giraffe can, in fact, be sneaky.

    My kid loves it. I love it. And we both agree that any book where animals outsmart villains is a winner.
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  • Paige Murray
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    This book is amazing! My 6 year old daughter flipped back to the cover after we finished it and asked why it didn’t have a sticker award! The rhyme is fun to read but the illustrations really bring it to life. It’s such a satisfying story and we loved looking for all 15 hidden animals. Definitely her favorite page! Excellent book!
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  • Jackie Marolda
    5.0 out of 5 stars Best kids book
    Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Entertaining, moral, beautifully illustrated. My go to book for every new baby or kids gift.
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  • Lisa & Taryn
    5.0 out of 5 stars Love this story!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This is such a great story! The illustrations are fun. My kids loved searching for the animals on the page where they hide. It is serious and then funny, which is great entertainment for kids.
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  • M.H.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Chris Van Dusen is our favorite!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Where to start? I have only praises to say about this book. Our family has purchased several copies of this specific book over the past 10 years. The book reads smoothly with a rhyming beat. It uses great vocabulary words but not to the point of loosing interest of a 3 year old. The story is captivating. The illustrations are mesmerizing. You can look at a page 5 different times and find something new each time. I have personally read this book so many times I have it memorized. It gets requested at our house more than any other book. I also like to give this book as a gift. Vibrant colors make for a cute baby or young child’s gift.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Erin E. Clark
    5.0 out of 5 stars Love the Illustrations!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This is a wonderful children's book with hidden pictures of animals that the reader (children) must find. The story is sweet and my grandchildren request this book often as a bed time story. Highly recommended.
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  • MaryRose
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Prose and Story
    Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    All our grandchildren enjoy this book and I enjoy reading it. It’s fun to find and name the animals, especially in hiding.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Karil
    5.0 out of 5 stars A book to read again and again and to share from one generation to the next.
    Reviewed in France on February 21, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I believe that I love this story and the illustrations every bit as much as my 3 1/2 year-old granddaughter does. She is familiar with all of the animals from visits to the zoo and from their frequent appearances in other toddler's stories.
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  • Wonderful
    5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommend
    Reviewed in Australia on April 25, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    This immediately became a new favourite for our young children. Engaging and fun. Nice quick read for the parents too
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  • Yup
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great illustrations!
    Reviewed in Canada on August 19, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Our children enjoyed this book so much from the library we decided to purchase. We’ve also purchased as gifts for friend’s children with the ages between 3-7yrs. The story is very interesting. The book takes a few minutes to read. Each page holds our kids interest. The illustrations are very unique. There are lots of different animals in the story to search for on each page that our kids enjoy finding. Great book.
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  • Tubla
    5.0 out of 5 stars Book that leaves you with a smile
    Reviewed in India on March 16, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    A lovely feel good book, teaching love for animals.
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  • Judith
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lo recomiendo
    Reviewed in Spain on April 22, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Lo compré para ver si mi hijo pasaría tanto tiempo con este libro como con el de "cars, trucks and things that go" de Richard Scarry, (muy recomendable) y para mi sorpresa, él no estuvo tan apasionado por este libro porque no está cargadísimo de dibujos como el otro, le gustó pero no se lo mira tanto, sin embargo le pongo las cinco estrellas porque a mi sobrino le encanto. Al otro libro que he mencionado antes casi ni ok miraba, y con este pasaba más rato. Así que yo ya quedé satisfecha
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