"TRAVELING CARAVAN: Growing Up Under The Big Top" by Kristin L. Schmidt Larson

In the 1930s and 1940s, Harold Earl Schmidt, Kristin's grandfather, traveled with his One-Man Band, eventually marrying Phyllis Maas and raising four children under the big top. The circus, transitioning into a traveling carnival by the late 1960s, became the backdrop for Kristin's teenage years. As she traveled the Midwest with her family's carnival, she experienced the hard work, the exhilaration, and the unique challenges of life on the road.

Through vivid storytelling, Kristin shares her family's history, their travels, and the sense of community and exclusion they faced as 'Carni people.' This compelling memoir offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of carnival workers, revealing the joys and perils of this unconventional lifestyle.