Finnigan is a foundling kitten who finds a happy home in a small town circus museum, befriended by a pair of "circus mice." Through their adventures, they learn that the family you make can be just as important as the one you came from.
Inspired by a real life “rescue kitten” adopted by the author’s son and his wife and ALSO named Finnigan, this new chapter book series begins as Max and Leroy, two “circus mice” cousins who live at the old, shuttered Farnsworth Circus Museum find their comfortable world up-ended when a new generation of Farnsworths move in.
And when eight-year-old Lucy Farnsworth brings home a tiny foundling kitten and hides him in the barn because her dad is allergic to cats, Max and Leroy need to think fast if they’re going to be able to stay.
With the help of Boomer—the oddly silent family dog—Max and Leroy take the new kitten under their wing and show him the ins and outs of living at the museum, and flying “under the radar.” Along the way, they all come to realize that the family that you make can be just as important as the one you came from. And when Leroy finds himself in deadly peril as the villainous neighborhood cats Hector and Godfrey some a’hunting, it is Finnigan the Circus Cat who saves the day!
This series—earmarked for children and also the adults who love to read with them—marks an enjoyable change in focus by the author, who has previously written several award-winning essay collections for adults including “Running with Stilettos” and “When the Shoe Fits.” She is also a team blogger for the Florida-based multimedia company Growing Bolder which features messages of hope and encouragement to baby boomers and older. Featuring charming black and white sketches by the author, this heartwarming series will delight both children and adults, or in the long-running tradition of the circus ringmaster's traditional announcement, “Ladies, Gentlemen and Children of All Ages!!”
Excerpt
Cindy and Lucy seemed to go everywhere together, side by side. Today was no exception. Except that when they showed up again in the afternoon, Lucy walked her bike into the barn and parked it behind the door, in the shade. Cindy parked hers by the front porch.
Lucy reached into the white wicker basket on the front handlebars, and it looked like she was tucking something in. Then she ran out of the barn and up to porch where she met Cindy. Both girls went into the kitchen, but Lucy looked over her shoulder before she stepped through the doorway.
Leroy must have been having a really great dream, because he stayed asleep and snoring through the whole arrival. I nudged him in the ribs. “Hey, wake up!”
“Ahhh….what’s up?” He licked his lips like he could still taste what he was eating in his sleep.
“I don’t know, but there’s something strange about Lucy’s bike.”
Leroy looked over the edge of the hay bale. “Looks the same to me,” he said.
“No, that’s not it,” I said. “Look where it is.”
“Yah, it’s in the barn.”
“So?”
“So why is it in the barn? Why ain’t it out by the porch with Cindy’s bike?”
“I dunno,” he said. “And I don’t care. If I get back to sleep, maybe I’ll still be in the dream with the cheese curds and hot fudge.” He turned over. I was about to let it go, and then there was just the smallest rustle from the basket on Lucy’s bike. I strained to hear it, but the sound didn’t repeat. Maybe I’d just been hearing things. I shrugged and tried to find a more comfortable spot for a nap. Maybe Leroy had the right idea.
I looked over at Leroy. He was wide awake now, his big ears pitched toward where the tiny sound had come from. He did have a thing for strange noises …when he was awake enough to notice them.
“I heard something,” he said. “Did
you?”
I opened my mouth to answer…and then shut it again. We could play the “who heard what” game all day…or we could just go investigate.
We ran down to the floor and up the bicycle wheels until we reached the top of the basket. Lucy had left her sweatshirt in the basket. Nothing moved.
“Do you think there’s something under there?” Leroy asked.
I shrugged. “Let’s look.”
Leroy’s the one with the muscles, and so he grabbed an edge of the sweatshirt and pulled it back. Oh dear.
What lay in the basket was small…not much bigger than Leroy. It was damp, and asleep, with its eyes pinched tightly closed. It had a white face and grey striped ears, and a set of white whiskers that were wider than its head. A pair of brown smudges under its pink nose looked like a tiny mustache. It shivered every few seconds, and hugged a sleeve of the sweatshirt that was wrapped in its tiny paws even tighter. It opened its eyes and looked straight at Leroy…and then closed them again.
Leroy pulled the edge of the sweatshirt back into place, and the two of us retreated to the safety of our hay bale to ponder what we’d seen.
“It’s a cat!” Leroy said in wonderment. “I didn’t know they came so small!”
“That’s because it’s a baby,” I told him.
“He’s pretty cute,” Leroy said. “And he looks awfully cold and lonesome.”
Leroy’s got such a good heart. But I
was going to have to set him straight right now. He might be feeling lucky because Boomer had turned out to be friendly.
“He may be all cute and fluffy now, but you know what he’ll grow into,” I said. I immediately started thinking about where we might have to move to. I hated to leave the Farnsworth place, it had such a bunch of good memories for me. But a cat was a cat was a cat. There was no getting around that.
“Maybe we could be friends,” Leroy suggested. “I made friends with the dog,” he said.
“Nah, dogs are different,” I said.
“How?” asked Leroy.
“Well,” I said. “For one thing, I don’t think they’re as smart.”
“What’s another?”
“They’re naturally friendlier,” I said.
“But we don’t know if this little guy won’t be friendly.”
“Doesn’t matter,” I said glumly “He’ll still be a cat.”
At that moment, Lucy and Cindy came back into the barn. Leroy and I picked a perch above the action and hung out. Lucy carried a saucer of milk over to the bike, and Cindy picked the kitten out of the basket. They took turns cuddling him and watching him drink from the saucer. Then they wrapped him back up in the sweatshirt and put him back in the basket.
“C’mon Leroy, the handwriting is on the wall,” I said. “We might as well load up on food for the next few days, because we don’t know where we’re going to end up.”
Cindy finally rode her bike back home, and Lucy spent most of the evening out in the barn. Leroy and I went down to the river bank. Charlie had left the crusts of a sandwich by his favorite fishing spot, and so we feasted on bread and bologna. I never could understand why some folks didn’t like the crusts on their sandwiches. They were the best part! Then, when all the lights in the house were out, we headed back to the barn.
Leroy yanked me aside, just before Lucy would have stepped on me in the dark.
“What the heck?”
Lucy was in her nightgown, and she was sneaking into the barn. When she came out, she had the sweatshirt all rolled up in her arms. Then as we watched, she tiptoed back into the house, as quiet as a mouse.
Professional Reviews
Publishers Weekly
In a charming animal story, Wagner introduces Maximilian and his cousin Leroy, who are from a “long and honorable line of circus mice.” They live comfortably at the Farnsworth Circus Museum in Wisconsin, which has been closed since Old Man Farnsworth “went to the Big Top in the sky.” When some new Farnsworths move onto the museum grounds—parents Fred and Shirley, eight-year-old Lucy, brother Charlie, and toddler Donovan—Max and Leroy’s lives become much more complicated. Observing the family from the nooks and crannies of the museum, the mice learn that the Farnsworths, including their dog Boomer, are friendly. When Lucy secretly brings home a kitten that she hides in the barn (her father is allergic), the mice must determine whether the kitten is an ally or foe. Wagner comfortably navigates animal and human worlds that exist in parallel but rarely intersect. The b&w illustrations that open each chapter are on the rough side, but the evocative setting (filled with artifacts from the golden era of traveling circuses) lends this warm story notes of nostalgia.
Readers' Favorite
5 STARS! Finnigan the Circus Cat (Volume 1) by Mary T. Wagner is an entertaining story that revolves around Finnigan, the cat, and Max and Leroy, the mice. Things change for Max and Leroy, the two mice cousins who have been living at the Farnsworth Circus Museum, when the once quiet place is occupied by a new generation of the Farnsworth family and their dog, Boomer. What scares them most is when Lucy, the eight-year-old daughter, brings in their enemy, a cat! She hides the cat in the barn as her dad is allergic to cats. Will Max and Leroy be able to become friends with Finnigan, the cat?
This heartwarming story will win the hearts of all animal lovers. It’s a story of friendship, trust, and overcoming fears, and young readers will be able to connect well with it. All the characters are well portrayed and they are real, memorable, and relatable. The silly moments between Max and Leroy, the unlikely friendships the mice form with Boomer, the dog, and Finnigan, the cat, and the surprises in the story will fascinate readers till the very end. The narration is detailed and descriptive, making the scenes and characters come alive. I wish the author had some illustrations to make it even more engaging for young readers.
The book is good for bedtime story-telling and can also be used for read aloud sessions in classrooms and school libraries. The adventures, the danger, the intrigue, and the fun in the story make it a delightful read.
Bookworm for Kids
With delightful characters, this story explores an extraordinary friendship and the fantastic adventure which ensues.
Max and Leroy aren't just any mice. They are the inhabitants of a wonderful circus museum. When the owner dies, and a new family moves in, their worst dreams come true. The daughter sneaks in their most feared enemy, a cat.
Already in the first pages, Max and Leroy are introduced as characters young readers will wish lived in their home. They are funny, caring, smart and a tad bit adventuresome. It's easy to picture them lying in the hay in their calm world and scampering through the yard and house when the story really gets going. Their emotions are brought across naturally and fit the situations perfectly. Even their banter is a real treat, often coated with a slight bit of humor.
This isn't a high-tension packed adventure, but more of a subtle one perfect for the intended age group. The situations are ones kids will understand and sympathize with, and enough surprises are built in to keep the reader glued to the pages. There are lovely details and quirky comments throw in, exactly the kind which will grab kids' attention. And the kitten packs a little magic all of his own.
The writing is smooth, and the vocabulary fits well. The chapter divisions are placed nicely, so that this can be read over several sittings without losing the flow. The only thing missing, perhaps, would be a few illustrations, but even without these, the imagination has no trouble taking control.
Summed up, this is a lovely read for kids ages 8 to 10 and is sure to become a favorite for some younger book worms.
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Reviews for "Finnigan the Circus Cat"
Reviewed by victoria brinius
1/1/2019
This is a great book for kids. It shows that everyone can get along, even when you are supposed to be enemies. I loved that the story starts out with mice and we get to see how they live with and without their new cat. I always thought that cats were stronger than mice, but this book shows that mice can make cats do what they want! It was a fun light hearted story that I recommend for all ages. The end seemed rush, but that was only because I wanted to know more about these fun animals. I am giving this book a 5/5. All opinions are my own.
Mary Wagner has penned a fun-to-read chapter book for young readers, Finnigan the Circus Cat. The 5 by 7 format fits nicely in hand with bright white pages and an easy-on-the-eye font. The front cover illustration is bright and striking. Her color choices scream READ ME NOW! The kitten on the cover looks cute as a button.
I enjoyed reading Finnigan the Circus Cat because I remember how much I loved going to see Barnum and Bailey Circus as a child. It’s easy to see that Mary has a deep love for the circus and the people that are needed to make a circus come alive with fun and laughter. The circus is so much more than just animals and the people that work there. It’s about people and the deep relationships they have with each other. It’s all about the circus family.
Mary Wagner is an excellent writer. While reading Finnigan the Circus Cat I felt as though I had been transported to Old Man Farnsworth’s homestead into a barn filled to the brim with old circus wagons and posters. I stood next to Max and Leroy when they first saw Boomer. I flew through the air with Finnigan. I saw Lucy sneaking Finnigan into the barn. I stood next to Fred while he sneezed to beat the band and I was the only one to notice Shirley looking up toward the barn roof.
Mary Wagner, please keep writing. You are doing a wonderful job. Finnigan the Circus Cat makes me want to be ten again.
Reviewed by Angela Holland
11/19/2017
Let's start off by saying I loved the cover of this book and the title. Then I read the description and had to have it. What could make a better story then a rescue kitten that is being taught the ropes by two mice. When you read this book you are in for a real treat. Then there is the added touch of the sketches in the book. They are a cute addition. Max and Leroy brought humor to the story as well as a compassion to show that just because you come from different places you can still belong together. They did a good job of making Finnigan a part of their family. I also liked the idea that the story centered around a rescue kitten as we are all about rescuing animals in our house. This is a fun book to read along with you child. I look forward to more adventures of this rag tag team of animals.
Reviewed by Amy Campbell
10/11/2017
Finnigan the Circus Cat is a great children's book by Mary T Wagner. My daughter and I read this together. We laughed so hard at times. It is a cute little story with a good lesson to learn at the end for those that are young and old. We were excited to find out this is a series and another book to it will be releasing soon. We cannot wait to read it.
Highly recommended.
5 plus stars.
I received this book from the author. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
Reviewed by Marjourie Ann Hassan
9/23/2017
I originally wanted to read this book as a bedtime story for my 2-year-old and my 8-year-old can do the reading for us at bedtime. I ended up reading the story myself and finished reading ahead of my kid. Growing up with a love for cats, I have always had cats of my own so it is easy to fall in love with the story. I like that the story creates a feeling of belonging. That no matter how different we are from each other, whether we be cats or mice, we are still family.
