Mirette on the High Wire

McCully, Emily Arnold. Mirette on the High Wire. New York: The Putnam & Grosset Group, 1992.

It is my favorite time of year when it comes to K-5 library lessons. Since the American Library Association will announcing the new award winners in a couple of weeks, I spend time reading former Caldecott winners and honor books to my elementary classes. I also teach them about the criteria for the Caldecott. In a way this is a lead-in to voting for the Land of Enchantment Book Awards later this spring.

This week I read Mirette on the High Wire to my third graders. In it The Great Bellini (an actual historic person) comes to stay at the boarding house of Mirette’s mother. Mirette spots him tightrope walking and decides she wants to learn how to walk a tightrope. Bellini refuses to teach her so she practices and practices on her own. When she finally proves she can stay on the rope Bellini agrees to work with her. The reason Bellini was resting at the boarding house was he had become afraid of the high line wire. In the end of the story, Mirette helps him overcome his fear.

Emily McCully has written an engaging text. She illustrated her picture book with beautiful paintings which complement the text well.

Mirette on the High Wire is available from Amazon. Thanks for using my affiliate link.