This is a great read for any child who has an interest in law, circuses, or middle school. The character development was a strong point. No character stayed the same from beginning to end. Depth and change were everywhere. My favorite character was Sam, without a doubt. The legal talk was kept in an understandable language and nobility and perserverence were the benchmarks of the protaganist. That's always a winning formula. It was a real pleasure. ( )

Eleven-year-old Phillip's dream of running away from the circus comes true when his parents allow him to stay with relatives in Hardington, Pennsylvania, where dodgeball is practically a religion and life is anything but normal. ( )