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Audiobook editionPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
Circus dreams promise adventure, but a mischievous monkey leaves plenty of room for trouble.
In Mr. Stubbs's Brother, James Otis brings together boyhood, circus dreams, and an animal with a gift for mischief. The circus offers a world of tents, animals, and performers to stir a boy's imagination. This is a light adventure, where young characters stumble into trouble and humor keeps the tale warm rather than harsh.
Otis tells the story in a direct, easy style, with short sentences and clear, quick scenes. The monkey brings comedy to this world of youthful dreams, while the cheerful tone gives the scrapes a gentle feel. The pleasure lies in spending time with an old-fashioned boys' story, where everyday adventure and circus excitement meet.
What you’ll discover
- The lure of the circus Enter a world of tents, animals, and performers that feeds a boy's dreams.
- A monkey full of mischief Enjoy the comic trouble a mischievous animal brings to a circus tale.
- Boyhood gets into trouble Follow young characters into the scrapes that give this gentle adventure its lively movement.
- Warmth in every scrape Find mild humor and a cheerful tone rather than a harsh view of youthful mistakes.
- A clear, easy style Let short sentences and quick scenes carry you through Otis's world of boyhood adventure.
Who will love it
You will enjoy this book if you love gentle humor, mischievous animals, small-town summers and boys' schemes, or warm tales in which a good home and loyal friends matter most.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Toby agrees to lead the circus
- The horse changes Toby's expectations
- Toby makes room for Abner
- A real circus changes their plans
- A familiar face brings back grief
- Old friends offer thoughtful kindness
- Toby puts his friend before play
- Monkey mischief meets a deeper worry
- Small kindnesses become the real story
Who’s who
- Toby TylerA kind boy who once ran away to a circus and now lives with Uncle Daniel. He wants to help Abner and keep his new monkey.
- Abner BoltonA small, lonely boy on crutches from the poor farm who longs for friends and a chance to see a circus.
- Mr. Stubbs's BrotherA mischievous monkey given to Toby as a gift. He wants freedom and fun, whatever the cost to anyone's plans.
- Uncle DanielToby's gentle, devout uncle, who wants the boys safe and good and shares his home with those in need.
- Old BenA rough circus driver with a warm heart who wants to help Abner and see Toby happy.
- Reddy GrantA red-haired boy who dreams up the circus and wants to be its ringmaster.
- Bob AtwoodA boastful friend who plans to be the clown and often wants the credit.
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Mr. Stubbs's Brother
by James Otis · 1883
Toby Tyler's new monkey, Mr. Stubbs's brother, tears through a boys' circus before the first ticket is sold.
Medium level2–5 hours to read20 languages
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In short
What happens when a boy who swore off the circus is asked to run one? Toby Tyler, a year home from his weeks as a circus runaway, sits on a rock in his Uncle Daniel's pasture while his friends pour out a plan.
Mr. Stubbs's Brother at a glance
- Reading time
- About 2 h 25 min1 h 55 min fast, 2 h 50 min slow
- Length
- 34,300 words
- Library level
- Medium longer sentences, everyday words
- First published
- 1883by James Otis
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Toby is asked to boss a boys' circus
The story opens in the village of Guilford. Reddy Grant, a small boy with an astonishing amount of red hair, has a plan. Toby sits hugging his knees on a sharp rock and hears it. He ran away to a real circus a year ago and came home glad to be there. Since then he has turned down every offer to play at circus, partly because the memory of Mr. Stubbs still makes him sad.
The boys lead him to Bob Atwood's house. Toby asks the sensible questions. Where will the tent come from? Where will the horses come from? The plan is already far along. Bob will be the clown, Reddy the ringmaster, Ben Cushing will do handsprings, Joe Robinson will take tickets and howl like a hyena, and Leander Leighton will be the band, playing the accordion with one finger. Tickets cost three cents.
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Details
- First published
- 1883
- Language
- English
- Level
- Medium level
Cite this edition
Otis, James. Mr. Stubbs's Brother. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/mr-stubbss-brother.
Otis, J. (2026). Mr. Stubbs's brother. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/mr-stubbss-brother (Original work published 1883)
Otis, James. Mr. Stubbs's Brother. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/mr-stubbss-brother.
@book{otis2026mr,
author = {Otis, James},
title = {Mr. Stubbs's Brother},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/mr-stubbss-brother},
note = {First published 1883}
}
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What is Mr. Stubbs's Brother about?
It is the sequel to Toby Tyler. Toby, now at home with Uncle Daniel, helps his friends plan a boys' circus, befriends a lonely boy named Abner, and is given a monkey that causes endless trouble.
Who is Mr. Stubbs's brother?
He is a young monkey from the circus who looks like Toby's lost pet, Mr. Stubbs. Toby calls him Mr. Stubbs's brother, and the circus people give him to Toby as a gift.
Do I need to read Toby Tyler first?
It helps, since the story refers to Toby's time with the circus, but the book explains who Job Lord, Ben and the Treats are, so you can follow the plot on its own.
The author
James Otis
1848–1912 · American children's author
James Otis was the pen name of James Otis Kaler (1848–1912), an American author and educator. He was born in Maine and died in Portland, Maine. He wrote books for children, including Toby Tyler, published in 1881, Mr. Stubbs’s Brother, and The Search for the Silver City.
More by James Otis
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