Pony Pals: Circus Pony by Jeanne Betancourt is just one out of many books from the Pony Pals series. My daughter loves these short chapter books. In Circus Pony, the Yellow Tent Circus has come to the town of Wiggins. Lulu, Pam and most of all, Anna is very excited about the circus and thinks it’s the perfect way to end their summer break. With the Yellow Tent Circus camping on a good friend’s property, they get permission to visit during off hours and get a good look at what circus life is all about.

Both Lulu and Pam are excited about school starting up in just one short week, but Anna doesn’t want summer to end or to go back to Wiggins Elementary. Anna is a very smart girl but has dyslexia and every day in class is a struggle for her. During her visits to the circus camp grounds, she makes a new friend her age named Crystal. Her whole family is in the circus and they do the elephant act. Crystal tells Anna all about circus life and even shows her the old school bus where they go to school on the road with a tutor.

The circus pony for the clown act is nursing a bum leg and the head clown needs a replacement for the show in Wiggins. When she meets Acorn and Anna, they are offered the job providing Anna’s parents give their permission. Anna gets to be in the circus and she couldn’t be happier. Crystal helps her find a costume and begin rehearsals right away. Anna and Acorn are right at home and Anna begins to want to make the circus her home permanently. Even the ring master thinks that the pair of them are naturals. Anna and Crystal try to come up with a plan to keep Anna in the Yellow Tent Circus but none of their ideas sound good enough to Anna. She needs the Pony Pals help.

Lulu and Pam do not want to help Anna join the circus and refuse to come up with ideas on how to ask and convince her parents to let her join. They don’t want to lose their best friend. How is Anna ever going to sweet talk her parents into letting her leave home and live with the circus? Will her Pony Pal friends ever forgive her and come through or is Anna destined to go back to Wiggins Elementary?