Reviews for The Clown of God

The average rating for The Clown of God based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2019-07-08 00:00:00 Steven Maizes I found this book at my Uncle's house during our family reunion. He loves clowns and he was also a minister at a big church in North Carolina, so I know that they got this book when my cousin was young because he loves clowns. This also has a religious theme to it so this is like the perfect story for him. So, it was fun reading this to not only my niece and nephew, but other kids of my cousins. We set it up like a reading time at the library where I read a page and showed them the pictures. The story is a tiny bit long, but it's good. An orphan can juggle and he finds a traveling show to join and learn from. He learns a new act and spends his life going about entertaining people all over the land. When he is an old man, everyone has seen him and they are no longer amazed by him. He ends up homeless once more and finds his way to a monastery with a Madonna and child where the child is grumpy and serious looking. He performs for the statue as his heart moves him too and then you need to read the ending for yourself. I don't like to spoil them. The story is set at the beginning of the Renaissance. This is a famous old French legend that was part of the storyteller tradition. This is ink and watercolors. The kids thought this was a fun story to read together. The story did keep their attention and the kids said that they thought it was a 3 or 4 star story with only my nephew saying it was only 2 stars just to be a prankster.

Review # 2 was written on 2008-09-09 00:00:00 Margaret Rubright The Juggler of Notre Dame used to be my daughters favorite Christmas movie so I was really excited to read this book and discover that it's the children's version of the French legend told by Anatole France. In The Clown of God an aging juggler thinks he has nothing left to offer God. The admiring crowds and delighted audiences have been replaced with homelessness and hunger. Although this was a story told and retold by storytellers of the Middle Ages, it's as relevant and alive today as it ever was. Tomie dePaola has meticulously researched and recreated this poignant tale of giving -- whatever we have to give being what God values most -- and miracles. It's one of those books for the child in all of us. Beautiful! Thank you Krista for the recommendation! Review updated July 17, 2019 for administrative purposes.