Watch Out for Flying Kids! How Two Circuses, Two Countries, and Nine Kids Confront Conflict and Build Community

Watch Out for Flying Kids! follows nine youth performers from two social circus programs: Circus Galilee in Israel and the St. Louis Arches in Missouri. The book documents their experiences learning and performing circus arts while navigating complex social and cultural environments. Through parallel narratives, the story tracks the development of young acrobats, jugglers, and performers as they build skills and relationships within their respective programs. The circus participants come from different backgrounds - Jewish, Arab, Black, and white - and must work together despite societal tensions and conflicts. The children's circus journey spans practices, performances, and cultural exchange visits between the two programs. Their circus training involves physical challenges, trust-building exercises, and the necessity of supporting one another to execute dangerous moves safely. At its core, this non-fiction account explores how circus arts can break down barriers and create understanding between youth from different communities. The book demonstrates the power of shared goals and collaboration to overcome prejudice and social division.

Parents and educators appreciate how the book showcases real youth collaborating across cultural divides through circus arts. Multiple reviewers note its effectiveness in teaching children about conflict resolution and community building. Readers highlight: - Clear explanations of complex geopolitical issues for young readers - Strong photography that brings the stories to life - Balanced perspective showing both Israeli and Palestinian viewpoints - Discussion questions and resources for further learning Common criticisms: - Text can be dense and challenging for the target age group - Some readers found the multiple storylines hard to follow - A few noted the book moves slowly in certain sections Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (48 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (11 ratings) Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review, calling it "thoughtful" and "engaging" One teacher reviewer on Amazon wrote: "My students connected with the real kids in the story and it sparked great discussions about acceptance."

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🎪 The book follows two youth circus programs: Circus Harmony in St. Louis, Missouri, and Circus Galilee in Israel, which bring together children from different religious and cultural backgrounds. 🌟 Author Cynthia Levinson spent five years researching and following the young performers, traveling between the United States and Israel to document their stories. 🤝 The St. Louis circus program unites African American and white children from different neighborhoods, while the Israeli circus brings together Arab and Jewish youth. 🎭 Many of the children featured in the book had never interacted with people from the "other side" of their communities before joining these circus programs. ✈️ The two circus groups collaborated on a joint performance project called "Peace Through Pyramids," where American and Middle Eastern youth performers worked together despite language barriers and cultural differences.