5 h 29 minAudiobook3 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 5 h 29 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
In the circus world, a young hero must earn his place through nerve, practice, and courage.
Joe Strong, the Boy Fish by Vance Barnum brings a bold young hero into a circus adventure shaped by swimming, diving, and daring feats. Joe meets danger and tests his skill. What matters is not wealth, but the honest effort that helps him earn the trust of those around him.
This brisk boys' adventure puts the making of a young hero at its heart. Joe Strong earns his place through practice and a willingness to act when others hesitate. The prose stays plain, the pace stays quick, and the circus setting gives readers a world of wonder in which courage counts.
What you’ll discover
- A hero earning trust Follow Joe as skill and honest effort help him win the confidence of others.
- The lure of water Swimming and diving give this circus adventure its distinctive setting for daring feats.
- Courage built through practice Discover a young hero whose nerve grows alongside his willingness to work.
- A brisk adventure Enjoy plain prose and a quick pace that keep the focus on action.
- A glimpse of series fiction Explore an old-fashioned adventure built around a cheerful hero and a simple moral outlook.
Who will love it
Readers who love circus life, daring stunts and cheerful young heroes will enjoy this. It suits anyone who likes animal acts, trapeze flyers and a story where loyalty to a friend matters most.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A friend sinks in the tank
- A quiet rescue behind clowns
- The boy fish takes the stage
- Goldfish, a dog and a lion
- Called a tightwad for a secret reason
- Lizzie the sea lion and Helen's idea
- Nerve and quick thinking serve Joe
Who’s who
- Joe StrongA young trapeze flyer and former magician who takes over a friend's tank act and keeps a quiet promise.
- Helen MortonA clever trick rider with a horse named Rosebud, who cheers Joe on and solves the problem of the goldfish.
- Ben TurtonThe gentle human fish whose years of diving leave him ill and unable to work, and who needs help.
- Jim TracyThe ringmaster and part owner of the circus, who keeps his word to the public and backs Joe.
- Tonzo LascallaA trapeze partner who misjudges Joe and mocks him as a tightwad.
- Bill WatsonA veteran clown who helps with the quiet rescue and believes Joe may have an English inheritance.
- LizzieA gentle trained sea lion who shares Joe's tank act and loves a good fish.
- Tom RandA reservoir diver whose boot is caught in a valve far below the surface.
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- Paperback
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- Hardcover
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- Large print paperback
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- Large print hardcover
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Joe Strong, the Boy Fish
by Vance Barnum · 1917
A young trapeze flyer quietly rescues a friend from a glass tank, then makes the underwater act his own.
Easy read5–10 hours to readEnglish
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In short
Joe Strong, the Boy Fish, by Vance Barnum, is a circus adventure for young readers. It opens on the first show of the spring season with the Sampson Brothers' Circus.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A friend sinks in the tank
On opening afternoon, drums boom and a record crowd fills the tent. Joe Strong finishes a double catch high above the net, then glances at the glass tank. Ben Turton, the frail human fish, is doubled over with his hand pressed to his head.
Joe knows a panic in the crowd could be as dangerous as the water. He whispers to a veteran clown named Bill Watson that Ben is in trouble and must be got out quietly.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
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Details
- First published
- 1917
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 3 h 30 min
- Level
- Easy read
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What is Joe Strong, the Boy Fish about?
It follows Joe Strong, a trapeze performer in the Sampson Brothers' Circus, who takes over a sick friend's underwater tank act. He builds it into a hit while keeping a quiet promise to the friend.
Do I need to read the earlier Joe Strong books first?
No. An early chapter sums up the earlier volumes, covering Joe's life as a magician and his move to the circus, so new readers can follow the story and enjoy it on its own.
Why is Joe called the boy fish?
The name comes from the circus act, in which he performs underwater in a glass tank, swimming and doing tricks while holding his breath. The human fish was Ben's billing, and Joe becomes the boy fish.
The author
Vance Barnum
Adventure fiction pseudonym
Vance Barnum was the pen name used for the Joe Strong adventure series, which was written for young readers in the early twentieth century. The books follow a young magician and circus performer through stage, tent and trapeze. The stories show the show-business world of their time, with trains, tents and early motorcycles.
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