Very Serious Children
Nicky’s parents are clowns by day and by night. He lives in a camper, rides a unicycle whenever he wants and eats marshmallows and popcorn for supper. Why then does he want to run away to go to school?
About the Author
Caroline Adderson is the author of Very Serious Children (Scholastic 2007), a novel for middle readers about two brothers, the sons of clowns, who run away from the circus. I, Bruno (Orca 2007) is a collection of stories for emergent readers featuring seven year-old Bruno and his true life adventures.
Caroline Adderson also writes for adults and has won two Ethel Wilson Fiction Prizes, three CBC Literary Awards, as well as the 2006 Marion Engel Award given annually to an outstanding female writer in mid-career. Her numerous nominations include the Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist, the Governor General's Literary Award, the Rogers' Trust Fiction Prize and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize.
Her eight year-old son Patrick and his many friends inspire her children's writing. Caroline and her family live in Vancouver, B.C.
About the Illustrator
Book Reviews
Suggested Activities
- There are many famous circus families. Find out about one of them. What did they do that made them famous?
- Create a poster advertising a circus starring your family.
- Experiment with different ways to make ink. Keep a journal of your experiments and the results.