Silvia y David Fernández - Illustrated by Mercè López
Spanish version here!
The artists of the Galaxy Circus risk their lives on a daily basis. They jump from the trapeze without a net, swallow fire, and fly shot by cannons. Perhaps that's why they are so curious about death. What happens after it? What is the nature of the 'hereafter'? At Galaxy Circus, there are as many different responses as there are species of animals.
Hardcover - 48 pages - Language: English - Dimensions: 8.25 x 0.4 x 10.25 inches - Age Range: 3 to 8 years old. ISBN: 978-1-946071-31-6
KIRKUS REVIEW - "From the first page, the illustrations draw readers in with distinctive personalities, thoughtful expressions, and intriguing setting details. Bright colors distinguish the spreads illustrating the imagined hereafter settings from the muted spreads showing the animals on a tightrope. Given the sensitive subject matter, the creators manage a careful, unbiased exploration that brings a huge question into focus for young minds. A daring and useful conversation starter."
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW - "This whimsical exploration of the hereafter follows the near-fatal mishaps of all 10 of the Galaxy Circus stars. Balancing on a tightrope, they fall one by one into the afterlives of their varied belief systems. Each instance touches lightly on the character’s cultural vision of what’s “out there.” The open-ended question on which the ruminations end, “And you.... What do you believe?” invites further discussion against the backdrop of the performers in bandages, on crutches, and slings—having happily survived their near-death experiences. The text is neither didactic nor contentious and pairs well with Barcelona-born López’s alternating spare and fantastical illustrations. A light-handed and thoughtful exploration of the hereafter."
