Sidewalk Circus

By: Paul Fleischman & Kevin Hawks

I was not aware Sidewalk Circus was a wordless book. I'll admit, I wasn't too enthusiastic about reading it. I want words. I like words. I need words. In any event, I started to "read" it. I really loved the pictures and I always tell my K students, Never skip over pictures just because there are no words on the page. And, if you ask them why, they would all say, Because pictures tell a story, too. I guess I need to practice what I preach. I really had to take my time, looking and absorbing each illustration, page by page. Whatever sign the man put on the wall, the local townspeople seemed to have been "performing" that circus act. Even though the story is wordless, there are words on each circus poster and banner.

Is this still considered a wordless book? I guess so. Overall, I feel I should expose my students to wordless books, but I, myself, would not rush to check one out at the library. I did enjoy the detailed illustrations, though. I guess the illustrations would have to detailed if they were the sole means of telling a story.