When the Circus Came to Town – by Laurence Yep

Is the title of this book accurate? What kind of circus did you envision? What was it really like?

At the opening, Ursula describes her father “with legs so long that he crossed a hill in one stride.”  What kind of a man is Ursula’s father?

Why do you think Ah Sam is so kind to Ursula?

What does Tom mean when he says Ah Sam has “the Mark.” What is the Mark?

Ursula describes Ah Sam’s face as he talks and smiles: “It was like watching a candle light up inside a lantern. And I forgot about my face for a while.” What’s more important? The face on the outside or the person within?

Do you blame Ursula for the way she behaves? Should she stop feeling sorry for herself and get on with it?!

Tom says, “We’re the ones standing outside looking at the party inside.” Is that necessary? Tom and Ah Sam and Ursula are outsiders – they have the Mark. Is there somewhere else where they might be right at home? Might that be true for all of us – that there are places we fit right in and places where we don’t?

Ursula plans to outfit Ah Sam in some warm clothes for Christmas, and she says, “I hadn’t been looking forward to Christmas. Now I had a warm feeling inside.” What’s happening to Ursula here?

Ursula says at one point, “Adventures don’t wait. You got to hop on when they come around.” What do you think?

How do the townspeople feel about Ursula and her marked face? Is she the outsider she thinks she is?

Ursula observes that the magic of the circus had been like a penny in a pond. “The ripples had just spread and spread until they had touched everyone.” If this is true, what might that mean for us?