Wild Boy

After eight grueling years in a London workhouse, an extremely hairy orphan is taken by "Carnival King" Augustus T. Finch, dubbed Wild Boy, and advertised as "the missing link between man and bear!" The year is 1841, and the traveling circus subjects 11-year-old Wild Boy to cruelty, prejudice, and abuse, but also sharpens his observation skills: "It was just what came from years of being locked up with nothing to do but watch the world and dream that he was someone else." When a doctor and professor are found dead nearby, Wild Boy and a fellow circus performer and amateur thief, Clarissa, turn into suspects on the run, with an ominous stolen note in hand about a futuristic machine designed for ethically dubious purposes. Elements of classic detective stories unfold against a magnetic vintage carnival backdrop, and the narrative maintains levity despite Wild Boy's maltreatment. British author/editor Jones delivers a message about true friendship through Clarissa who learns to love Wild Boy%E2%80%94not as a spectacle, but as an individual whose struggles have contributed to his substance and complexity. Ages 10%E2%80%93up. Agent: Clare Conville, Conville & Walsh Literary Agency. (Sept.)