SuitabookRisk, courage and preparation
Blondin repeatedly crosses Niagara on a three-inch rope, checks his wires and adds more complicated feats over time.
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Book details
Matt Tavares - Author
A dramatic piece of narrative nonfiction about Blondin’s repeated Niagara tightrope crossings, it combines historical events with page-turning suspense. The visual presentation makes the falls, height and risky feats central to the reading experience.
When the Great Blondin announced that he was going to walk from America to Canada across the Niagara River on a rope that was more than 1,100 feet long and just 3 inches wide, hanging 160 feet above the raging river, people came from everywhere. Some came to watch him cross. Some came to watch him fall. Some thought he wouldn t show up at all. But he did show up. And he did walk across the river. And then he did something else amazing. He crossed the river on that tightrope again and again, adding another death-defying flourish each time. Matt Tavares s gorgeous, riveting account of the daredevil of Niagara Falls is sure to hold readers in its grip, just as Blondin's feats enthralled those spectators on the cliffs more than one hundred and fifty years ago.
Book Brief
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Sign in for personalised guidanceA dramatic piece of narrative nonfiction about Blondin’s repeated Niagara tightrope crossings, it combines historical events with page-turning suspense. The visual presentation makes the falls, height and risky feats central to the reading experience.
Blondin repeatedly crosses Niagara on a three-inch rope, checks his wires and adds more complicated feats over time.
People gather to watch Blondin cross; some expect success, some expect a fall and some doubt that he will appear.
The book centres on extreme physical danger: a narrow rope high above a raging river, repeated crossings and additional tricks. Suspense includes the possibility that Blondin might fall, although the described crossings succeed.
This is a grounded book brief while Suitabook strengthens the analysis: the book’s treatment of its main themes is not yet firm enough; some draft conclusions still depend on unresolved evidence.
Book information
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Mrs. Knott's Book Nook: Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday 4.20.16 - Crossing Niagara
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Checked: 19 September 2026.
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