Wild Boy by Rob Lloyd Jones

My TBR stack has grown even larger this spring, so the logical thing to do was buy even more books.  Recently I had lunch with my friend Barb at the Udis at The Tattered Cover on Colfax.  For the record Barb has more will power then I do.  Wait, no she doesn’t she retired from teaching and STILL buys books!  Anyhow, after lunch I had to see what was on the shelves.  Yes, I did leave with two books.

One was Wild Boy by Rob Lloyd Jones.  It is the story of a young boy covered in hair that ends up in a freak show of a circus.  It is set in Victorian London.  Wild Boy is a keen observer.  Spending hours locked up gives him time to become an even better eyewitness to the dark side of the circus.  In odd sort of way Wild Boy befriends a young acrobat named Clarissa. 

A murder takes place at the circus, and Wild Boy is instantly blamed for it.  With the help of Clarissa and his powers of observation the two set out to solve the murder.

I can’t wait for this book to come out in paperback, so we can read if for Guys Read.  It was an exciting read.  Wild Boy could easily be a private detective that tops the abilities of a famous Victorian detective. Rob Lloyd Jones writing made it easy it to connect with Wild Boy and Clarissa.  Their friendship seemed real and not just a twist in a book to give the main character a sidekick.  The suspense in book made it VERY difficult to put down.  Mr. Jones paints an interesting picture of Victorian London.  At times I could smell the stench of the dark side of the city, and others the beauty of newly construction Victorian townhouses and buildings.  None of it made it out of the reach of third, fourth and fifth grade students.

I am holding on to my copy so the boys don’t read before it becomes a Guys Read book club book.