Lewis Clowns Around

K-Gr 2—Lewis does not enjoy the life of a puffin as much as his brother, Harris, does. He decides he'd like to try his hand at a new career—clowning. Fortunately, a circus has just rolled into town, so Lewis flies over to apply for a job with the Ringmaster. He joins Carla Koala for the clown act and thoroughly enjoys learning his new routine. Tragedy strikes when the seesaw portion of their act goes awry, sending Carla high into the Big Top. Her overalls catch on the trapeze bar and Lewis is able to put his puffin traits to work, flying up to save her by carrying her down in his beak. He then returns to his flock with pride. Rhyming text trips along as the story develops, but feels forced in places. The illustrations capture the bright colors and activity of the circus, and numerous animal characters are friendly and appealing. While children can relate to the themes of learning to be proud of who you are and overcoming fears, this book doesn't add anything new or memorable to the body of work on these topics.—Amy Commers, South St. Paul Public Library, MN