Toby Tyler; Or, Ten Weeks with a Circus by James Otis

"Toby Tyler; Or, Ten Weeks with a Circus" by James Otis is a children's novel written during the late 19th century. The story revolves around a young boy named Toby Tyler who longs for adventure and ultimately runs away to join a traveling circus, hoping for a life full of fun and excitement. At the start of the narrative, Toby is introduced in a small town where he watches the circus set up. A sweet encounter with a candy vendor reveals his dreams and dissatisfaction with his life, particularly with his Uncle Daniel, who seems to be quite strict. As he navigates the circus scene, Toby's eagerness to become part of the circus life grows, leading him to accept a job as a candy vendor's assistant. However, Toby quickly realizes that the glamorous life he envisioned is fraught with challenges, particularly in dealing with his gruff employer, Job Lord. The opening portion sets the stage for Toby's adventure, where he not only grapples with the realities of circus life, but also begins to form a bond with an old monkey named Mr. Stubbs, hinting at the friendships and lessons to come during his circus journey. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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About this eBook

Author Otis, James, 1848-1912
Title Toby Tyler; Or, Ten Weeks with a Circus
Credits Produced by Martin Robb, and David Widger
Reading Level Reading ease score: 70.4 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
Language English
LoC Class PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres
LoC Class PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
Subject Circus -- Fiction
Subject Runaways -- Fiction
Category Text
eBook-No. 7478
Release Date
Last Update Mar 21, 2026
Copyright Public domain in the USA.
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