Gr 4-6-Precocious and stubborn ten-year-old Babo is one of the "leftover children" living at a destroyed circus camp in an unknown war-torn country in Lisa Railsback's tale (Dial, 2010) about adoption, new beginnings, and the melding of diverse cultures. Auntie Moo has cared for the children since the soldiers burned their camp and left them orphans. Babo's misconception about foreigners leads her to sabotage visits by prospective adopters. To her dismay, the Buckworths, an American couple, think she is smart and pretty, even though she has a "fish eye" and missing toes. She finds it challenging to adapt to American life and her new name, Betti. The child is teased mercilessly at school for her overdramatic stories about her parents' exploits in the circus: her mother was "The Tallest Woman in the World with a Tail" and her father was "Green Alligator Man." Betti hopes that bad behavior will make the Buckworths send her home, but their love and acceptance of her only grows. Gradually, her thoughts of returning home are less immediate. Betti's sometimes humorous misuse of the English language helps lighten the dark background story. Rachel Gray's cool, charming voice helps listeners better understand the mixture of undeveloped and conventional English which can be confusing. She does an outstanding job of bringing a multitude of voices to life. While this title may not have wide appeal, it will be well received by adoptees from other countries and children who are trying to adapt to a new culture.-Caitlyn Walsh, Fayetteville Public Library, AR (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In an undisclosed war-torn country, Babo is an orphan who doesn't like the Melons the foreigners with round, pink faces. The Melons visit her and the other leftover kids on the circus campgrounds where they live. Babo wants to stay with the other children and tell them stories of her circus family's high-wire act, but instead she is adopted by some American Melons, ahem, the Buckworths, who promptly change her name to Betti. To say that the transition is difficult is putting it mildly. Betti hoards food, her progress in English is slow, and she has trust issues to spare. She hopes her new family will send her back, but they are always understanding, Mrs. Buckworth in particular, who lost her parents, too. This international adoption story is heartwarming and refreshing, and Betti's new beginning is realistic and at times full of adventure. Without really knowing it, she adapts to her new life and finds a place with her family, though she recognizes that her internal conflicts won't ever fall completely away.--Jones, Courtney Copyright 2010 Booklist

Telling fantasy stories to the other "leftover" children in her unnamed war-torn country helps ten-year-old Babo cope with the poverty, hunger, and danger she deals with daily. But when an American family adopts her as "Betti," she's not sure her new comforts are worth losing her homeland. The differences between Betti's real and fantasy lives provide insight about her plight. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

In this highly original debut, Railsback delivers a poignant comedy rooted in a tragic contemporary reality. Babo-a fierce 10-year-old orphan in an unnamed, war-ravaged country-watches over the younger "leftover kids" in the abandoned circus camp they call home. Her bad "fish eye" and few missing toes make her better off than those with missing limbs or damaged brains; her overactive imagination provides the group with never-ending stories-and earns her the nickname Babo Big Mouth. Relentless at frightening off well-meaning foreigners who come looking for children to adopt, Babo is horrified when the American Buckworths choose her. In spite of her efforts to behave so badly the Buckworths will send her home, Babo, renamed Betti, slowly warms to America and her new family. The Buckworths-except for mischievous daughter Lucy-are a tad too warm and understanding to be completely believable, but Railsback's backstory of Mrs. Buckworth having been orphaned at a young age eases some doubts and helps Babo bond with her. While some of the subject matter can be grisly, Babo's bravado is endearing and her giggle-provoking adventures lighten the story's dark backdrop. Ages 8-12. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved