In an alternate 1899, farm boy Solomon Hunt leaves home to seek his fortune, only to stumble into the adventure of a lifetime when he rescues a young genius showman from captivity in a sideshow.

Robin Hood, move over. This fun, enthralling tale is the new gold standard for a merry troupe of youths doing good while romping across the Wild West and barely outwitting pursuers. Indeed, Shane Peacock, award-winning author of 30 books, has outdone himself in this lively, gripping read, appropriate for both middle grade and young adults. (The cover is also great!)

Told in the third-person point of view of 15-year-old Solomon, who joins forces with the secretive and talented Seer after freeing him from his managers’ enslavement, it’s a colorful journey that takes them from Canada (called New Britain) to Hollywood and all stops between by steam train, hot-air balloon, boat and stagecoach. Barely dodging those who would keep them locked up between events to grasp all profits, they develop their own show while on the run, freeing fellow teen talents along the way.

The writing is excellent — not just the action scenes, but the descriptive passages, which also reveal Solomon’s conscience:

They moved north, just as the posters directed. Though they saw many wealthy people — men in velvet bowler hats, women in billowing silk dresses and carrying sun umbrellas — the endless number of poor people almost brought tears to Solomon’s eyes.

The men wore colourful suits and straw hats and thrust out their chests, the ladies displayed themselves in tight dresses that jutted out at their behinds and revealed the lower parts of their legs above high-heeled boots.

Color also imbues the bad guys, of whom there are several:

Out from the swinging doors of the entrance came none other than Sudsy Randolph himself, his heeled, spurred boots smacking on the wooden veranda, his tall, lean frame dressed in a black suit with waistcoat and gold watch chain, bearded, long-haired and sporting a cowboy hat tipped back on his head. A crocodile-skin gun belt with full holsters was slung low under his belly. When he stepped out the door everyone within sight of him paused for a moment before walking on. This was obviously a man of influence in Denver City.

From Buffalo to New Orleans, Denver to Los Angeles, Salt Lake City to San Francisco, Solomon (a contortionist) and the Seer recruit a remarkable variety of young performers trapped in shows, including a human cannonball, a giant acrobat, a blues musician, a gunslinger, a talking gorilla who does Houdini-style escapes, a fighter, an inventor, a girl with trained ravens, “the most beautiful woman in the world” and more. These characters also define diversity, in that there’s a mute person, a blind person and teens representing almost every color and race. Further, “First Inhabitants” (indigenous people) and their plight are mentioned regularly.

But nothing in this story takes itself too seriously. It’s pure fun and tension, the droplet of magic realism (talking gorillas and ravens) easy to take in stride. By the time the troupe numbers a dozen, it’s a little difficult keeping them all straight, but the action moves too fast to work up concern about it. The concept of no one noticing a gorilla hidden beneath a blanket as he’s hustled through public places and transferred from one mode of transport to another is a little hard to swallow. And it’s a little over-convenient that they happen upon a former entertainment businessman who sympathizes with their plight and gives them crucial information in the nick of time.

But the turn-of-the-century journey itself, and its colorful cast of both pursuers and escaped performers, is the focus – from start to climactic finish. This one’s an all-out winner.
– Pam Withers