Book Review of Fred Stone and the Frontier Circus
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The Children’s Book Review
Fred Stone and the Frontier Circus
Written by P. J. Sloane
Illustrated by Yakovetic
Ages: 8-10 | 147 Pages
Publisher: P.J. Sloane and Yakovetic (2025) | ISBN: 979-8234031624
What to Expect: Circus performance, mystery, diversity and acceptance, family bonds, friendship.
Inspired by the real Fred Stone—the actor who played the Scarecrow in the Broadway production of The Wizard of Oz—and written by Stone’s granddaughter, this page-turning adventure explores the friendships, prejudices, and excitement of life in a turn-of-the-century traveling circus.
Fred and Ed are talented tumblers and drummers, and Fred can even walk on a tightrope. The brothers dream of working for the circus, and when the tightrope walker for Coleman’s Circus quits his job, their dream comes true. They make exciting new friends, both human and animal, from baby elephants to lion-tamers, a girl with dancing dogs, and even a giant. Not everything is smooth sailing in the circus, however; there’s a close call with the tightrope, the death of one of the performing animals, and a storm that nearly sinks one of the wagons. More mysteriously, Fred is certain that one of the performers is a fugitive—one-time companion to none other than the outlaw, Jesse James. When the circus’s moneybox is stolen, his suspicions become an important clue—but can two kids really solve the mystery before the circus is shut down?
Fred and Ed are talented and ambitious, but they are also friendly and conscientious, always willing to help a friend in need. As the mystery of the missing moneybox unfolds, readers will enjoy watching the two brothers come up with creative solutions to the circus’ many challenges, always supported by the wisdom and care of the other performers, who treat each other more like family than fellow employees. Underlying the mystery plot are serious messages about inclusion, honesty, and the consequences of one’s actions on others, encouraging readers to cultivate open-mindedness and compassion.
Perfect for any reader who has ever dreamed of running away and joining the circus.
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About the Author
P. J. Sloane, was born in Los Angeles, California, but was brought up in New York City and England, where she attended the Arts Educational School and the Actor’s Center in London.
She went on the stage at 17, appearing in the comedy The Best of Friends at the Strand Theatre in London’s West End. Also in England, she had a featured role in Jon Voight’s movie The Revolutionary. She returned to the United States and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, and following her graduation appeared in TV’s Hill Street Blues, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and Kung Fu: the Legend Continues.
For the past 35 years she has worked as an entertainment journalist, writing over 25,000 articles on films and television that have been featured in many magazines, including Film Review, TV Zone, Starburst, Shivers and Ultimate DVD. She created a series of articles for Film Review entitled “Call Sheet,” where she reminisced about iconic movies with the creators and stars, including To Kill a Mockingbird, West Side Story, Airplane, The Poseidon Adventure, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Fame, Woodstock, The Haunting and Some Like it Hot. She also contributed to BBC’s shows Cinema Two, Over There and Hollywood – Then and Now, and was employed by British Satellite Broadcasting to do interviews for their program, The Movie Show.
She’s currently writing articles on movies and TV for https://frontrowfeatures.com. She is a member of the motion Picture Association and the Television Critics Association.
Fred Stone and the Frontier Circus is her first book, which she wrote to honor the life of her grandfather, Fred A. Stone.
About the Illustrator
Yakovetic illustrated and art directing over sixty books: Twenty four The Little Mermaid Treasure Chest series, six, 101 Dalmatians series, two Great Predators books, and illustrated multiple covers for Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publishers. Some titles include; Zelda Hammersmith and Betsy series. Leap Frog Toys are among his list of clients, illustrating and art directing their first fifteen electronic books and several toys for them.
With his wife, writer, Samii Taylor, they have collaborated on several books including Waddles Presents – Aquacktic Safety, for the American Red Cross, selling over nine million copies in five languages.
Working for Thunder Bay Press, Yakovetic has illustrated, matching appropriate styles for each brand, including Bob Ross Rocks and Lilo & Stitch, Color by Number.
The Heart of a Leader, written by Josh McConkey and illustrated by Yakovetic, was recently recognized by the Mom’s Choice Awards’ highest award, placed Runner-up for Best Children’s Book in the 2026 Southern California Book Festival, and won the Independent Publisher’s Award for Best Cover and Inspirational Children’s Book!
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a sponsored*, non-biased review of Fred Stone and the Frontier Circus. Learn more about getting a book review …
