MIRETTE ON THE HIGH WIRE, by Emily Arnold McCully
AR Level: 3.6 Points: .5
Vocabulary Quiz Available

Mirette is the daughter of Madame Gateau, who runs a boarding house in nineteenth century Paris. Her boarders included actors, acrobats, jugglers, mimes and other performers. When a retired tightrope walker named Bellini comes to stay with them, and Mirette sees him walking on their clothesline, she is entranced, wanting to walk on the wire as well. She begs Bellini to teach her, but he refuses, saying once her feet touch the wire they’ll never be happy on the ground again. Mirette does not give up, though--instead, she tries by herself, in private! Find out what happens when Bellini sees her--will he teach her, or will he make her learn on her own?

Teachers: This would be a great book for teaching historical fiction, or to introduce a unit on historic Paris performers.