A dutiful farmer toils away at daily chores. In the distance, a circus train crosses the barren countryside. As the farmer looks on, a small passenger flips and spills, unhurt, onto the  soft ground. As the farmer approaches, a baby clown with a tall red cap, white face, and painted-on smile greets him. The young clown leaps and runs into the farmer’s arms and so begins this marvelous and tender story of unexpected friendship. The Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee – a story about the power of the unexpected, and the joy of friendship.

For more, check out Marla’s terrific interview with Roger Sutton, Editor and Chief of The Horn Book. And you won’t want to miss this sampling of the book on the publisher’s site.