Sarafleana wanted nothing so much as to be the highest-jumping flea ever. Unfortunately, her large family already had an act - The Parasite Pyramid - and expected her to play her part in their performances. When the Flea family joined The Fleatastics in their ringside circus, it looked like Sarafleana would have no choice but to fall in with her parents' plan for her. Then Sparky, the dog on which the Fleatastics were performing, began to go wild after hearing the word "treat," and Sarafleana saw a way to use her talent to save the entire show, performers and audience both...

Although I appreciated the creativity displayed by author/illustrator Lisa Desimini, in creating The Fleatastics, and enjoyed some of the puns and wordplay, somehow this picture-book didn't quite work for me. Leaving aside the fact that the idea of fleas made me twitchy - something I found difficult to overcome, in the reading of the book - I also felt that there was too much going on on the page, textually speaking. The many speech bubbles, as the various flea characters exclaim aloud, or ask one another questions, distracted from the main narrative. Tastes vary, of course, and I can imagine that some young readers will enjoy reading all the little comments made by the cast of characters, but for me the effect was too busy. ( )

Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Great
Recommended: Recommended
Level: 4-8 years

The Fleatastics is about a family of fleas who love to do acrobatics. Sarafleana is the best jumper and wants her family to recognize her abilities. Instead, they want her to balance in the family pyramid. Sarafleana looks for ways to stand out. She gets her chance when the Fleatastics perform on Sparky, the dog. They are the Greatest Show on Dogs! Everyone showed off their talents. Sarafleana yelled treat and they were able to pack up and get off the dog before he started scratching. The book has beautiful illustrations and nice story line. It also has commentary going on several of the pages that older kids will enjoy. ( )