Reading Metrics
Description
A once-famous Italian juggler, now old and a beggar, gives one final performance before a statue of Our Lady and the Holy Child.
Quick Summary
Tomie dePaola's retelling of this old Italian legend completely got me the first time I read it to my kids. The story follows an aging street performer who was once the most famous juggler in Italy but is now forgotten and living as a beggar, and what I love most is how it shows that the greatest gift you can give is something made with genuine love even when you think you have nothing left to offer. Kids who enjoy stories about circus performers, old Italy, or quiet tales about kindness tend to connect with this one, and the gentle pacing makes it work well for read-alouds even for younger listeners. Parents should know it's a pretty emotional story with some sad moments (the clown's poverty and loneliness are handled gently but honestly), and it has a religious theme centered on the Holy Family, though it reads more as a timeless fairy tale than a Sunday school lesson. The watercolor illustrations are warm and inviting, matching the bittersweet tone perfectly, and if your kids love this one, dePaola's "The Legend of the Poinsettia" has that same mix of beautiful storytelling and cultural richness.