Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley is a middle-grade fantasy/magical realism novel about a young boy named Micah Tuttle who is struggling to come to terms with the impending death of his grandfather, Ephraim. Micah learns from Ephraim that Circus Mirandus, a fantastical traveling circus that Micah thought was a fictional story, is actually real. As Ephraim nears death, Micah and his friend Jenny go to Circus Mirandus to find the Lightbender, who owes Ephraim a miracle. Circus Mirandus won several awards after its publication in 2015. It is a New York Times Bestseller and a New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice. It received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publisher's Weekly, was part of Scholastic's “50 Best Books for Summer,” and was a Kiki Magazine Summer Book Club Pick.

This guide references the 2015 e-book version of Circus Mirandus.

Content Warning: Circus Mirandus explores the illness and death of a loved one.

Plot Summary

Ephraim is dying, which is devastating for his grandson, Micah, who has lived with him since the sudden death of his parents. Because Ephraim is sick, Ephraim's sister, Gertrudis, who is grouchy and mean, comes to stay with them. She bosses Micah around and is unwilling to believe Ephraim's stories about the fantastical world of Circus Mirandus. Ephraim sends a letter to the Lightbender, which is delivered by Chintzy, the Lightbender’s parrot and messenger, asking for his miracle, which the Lightbender promised him when he was a little boy.

In school, Micah is paired with Jenny Mendoza, an overachieving, no-nonsense do-gooder, for a class assignment. Distracted by Ephraim’s illness, Micah forgets to complete his half of the project, but Jenny is kind and compassionate about it once she learns that Ephraim is sick. Jenny, much like Great Aunt Gertrudis, does not believe in Circus Mirandus but is at least willing to listen to Micah and Grandpa Ephraim.

Grandpa Ephraim receives a letter back from the Lightbender asking for more details on the nature of the miracle he needs. Chintzy delivers this response and sees Micah and Jenny in the treehouse while she is there; she tells Micah that he might need to visit the circus. A message is spelled out in string for Micah: “Follow the wind.” Micah embarks on a mission to find Circus Mirandus and convince the Lightbender to give Grandpa Ephraim his miracle; Jenny, although still skeptical, accompanies him.

Circus Mirandus is a fantastical place featuring elephants that can do complicated math problems, an invisible tiger named Strongmen, and the Lightbender’s amazing illusionist show. The most fascinating thing about Circus Mirandus, though, is that it can be experienced only by those who believe in it. This initially causes problems for Jenny, who joins Micah on his journey but can't see the marvels because she believes so deeply in science and reason.

The novel alternates between the world of young Ephraim, experiencing Circus Mirandus for the first time, and Micah's new journey to the circus many decades later. Through these competing narratives, Beasley reveals the backstories of many of the characters, particularly the Amazonian Bird Woman, whose vanity causes her to abandon Circus Mirandus. The Amazonian Bird Woman is revealed to be Victoria, Micah’s grandmother, whom Grandpa Ephraim banished after she tricked Gertrudis.

When Micah and Jenny finally meet the Lightbender, he shows them his powers of illusion, convincing Jenny about the existence of magic, but explains that he cannot save Ephraim’s life. The children are devastated but thankful that they got to experience the marvelous world that Grandpa Ephraim experienced in his youth. Micah gets a magical tea from the circus that restores Ephraim’s youth and vigor for one final night, which he spends with Micah.

The Lightbender comes to see Ephraim, and he and Micah hold Ephraim’s hands as he dies. Micah learns the true nature of the miracle Ephraim asked for: He wanted Micah to be allowed to join Circus Mirandus and to be taught to access his own magic by the Lightbender. Micah passes a test set by the Lightbender by walking across an apparent chasm in the road to return to Circus Mirandus, revealing Micah’s faith in magic and his love of the circus, which becomes his home.