Reviews (1)

Made me an expert at ESP (Extra Special Performances!)
I am an overgrown kid (37 years old) and I've always been tinkering with card tricks of one sort or another.Recently, I've become interested in doing them again for friends and family.I bought a few card trick books, and they all had some pretty good tricks, but this book has got a few that'll rattle some brains for your unsuspecting audience (be it one person or 100 people!)
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Subjects:  1. Card tricks    2. Children: Grades 3-4    3. Games & Activities - Magic    4. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    5. Games/Puzzles    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Magic    9. Magic tricks    10. Telepathy    11. Conjuring & magic    12. Games / Magic    13. STUDY NOTES - SparkNotes   

Reviews (1)

Great for little ones!
This is our second copy of this book since the first one was literally loved to death by my now almost 2 year old.My son loves looking at this book and lifting the flaps and it has been a great way to introduce him tothe movie since he knows the characters.A definate must for any child ofStar Wars loving parents. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Action & Adventure - General    3. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    4. Children: Kindergarten    5. Games & Activities - General    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Movie Tie - In    8. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    9. Science fiction    10. Specimens    11. Toy and movable books    12. Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic   

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Games    4. Games & Activities - Magic    5. Games/Puzzles    6. Juvenile literature    7. Optical illusions    8. Video & Electronic - General    9. Graphic art forms    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Games & Activities / General    11. NEW AGE - ASTROLOGY TRD HC    12. Psychology    13. Puzzles & quizzes   

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Activity Books    2. Children: Kindergarten    3. Fairy Tales & Folklore - General    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    6. Hobbies, quizzes & games    7. Interactive & activity books & packs    8. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Subjects:  1. Card tricks    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Games & Activities - Card Games    5. Games & Activities - Magic    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. BG-FICTION OVER $5 - BG-LITERARY $5+    8. Card games    9. Conjuring & magic    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Games & Activities / Card Games   

Reviews (2)

Great read
I bought this book about a year ago and i can still read it and find out new things. It is full of cool tricks, fun party ideas, spooky stories , tons of info about halloween and all of its extras lok witches and all the supersticious animals. Bleive me i would love it if they made a second 'hocus pocus' and i would say this would be a great book for tweens or teens who just want to get that little bit on the spooky side...

A Bewitching Book
I simply could not put this book down. Full of ways of divination and other types of magic and fun, plus a way to bless your food! Tells the history and origination of Halloween, stories of famous Halloween symbols and figures. Plus,chapters of very scary stories, what to do at Halloween parties, snacks, animal magic, costumes, and much more. A highly enjoyable book that sparked my mind in many ways, such as creating a movie called The Vine about Jack and his lantern, and studying witchcraft and divination thouroughly. Thank You. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Games & Activities - General    4. Halloween    5. Handicraft    6. Humor - General    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Magic tricks    9. Tricks   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Crafts & Hobbies - General    4. Games & Activities - Magic    5. Juvenile Arts And Crafts    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Magic tricks    9. Conjuring & magic   

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure - General    2. Animals - Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 2-3    5. Dinosaurs    6. Fiction    7. Glow-in-the-dark books    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    10. Specimens    11. Toy and movable books    12. Juvenile Nonfiction / Games & Activities / General   

Reviews (3)

Lukewarm fiction
This book is barely based in fact, and the author notes this at the end. I didn't find the story particularly satisfying -- as fan of Houdini OR as an avid reader of children's literature -- but the artwork is wonderful, particularly the renderings of Houdini himself. I will treasure my copy of the book for the artwork alone.

Rebirth of Passion
When I opened my desk drawer at 7:30 one summer morning to find anannonomously placed copy of "The Houdini Box," I'd no idea that Iwas connecting with my muse.I sat in the serene silence before thestirring of a workday and read through this children's book about the lossand regaining of a dream.As a children's book, it's delightfully writtenand beautifully illustrated.I know several children who've enjoyed thetale.For adults, Brian Selznick's book is a parable about the obstaclesthat turn us from our passions and the serendipitous moments that call usback on track.

Gre Houdini Book
This book was great book even though it is fiction.I think it is for ages 6-100. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1874-1926    2. Biography & Autobiography - Historical    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 3-4    5. Fiction    6. Games & Activities - Magic    7. Holidays & Celebrations - Halloween    8. Houdini, Harry,    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Magicians    11. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / Historical   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Curiosities & Wonders    3. Games & Activities - Magic    4. General    5. Reference    6. Games / General   

Reviews (2)

Grade school mental workout!!!
This book is the best of its kind--nothing comes close to the number and variety of mental puzzles of various levels of difficulty...word games, optical tricks, math puzzles, et cetera. This book is amazing. I've given several to teachers. Excellent for third grade up to high school. The only thing I'd change about the book is the color: the book only has black, white, gray and blue.

Now I want to visit the Exploratorium!
This book is so much fun! It's the best collection of brain teazers and puzzles and games that I've seen.Reading the book made me want to visit the Exploratorium museum in San Francisco. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    2. Experiments & Projects    3. Games & Activities - General    4. Juvenile literature    5. Juvenile tricks    6. Magic tricks    7. Puzzles    8. Riddles, Juvenile    9. Science    10. Science & Technology - Experiments & Projects    11. Science/Mathematics    12. Juvenile Nonfiction / Science & Technology / Experiments & Projects   

Reviews (1)

A hilarious guide, fun to read and easy to follow
For kids who love magic (and what kid doesn't?)Hocus Jokus is a truly original guide that goes beyond its generous offering of clear, step-by-step instructions for tricks, to include tons of pointers -- drawn on a long successful career in magic and comedy -- on delivering patter, developing stage presence, inventing a stage personality, dropping one-liners, on how to dazzle, delight, distract, engage, or poke fun at an audience, even how to use humor to silence hecklers. While Charney takes his craft seriously (he warns kids they'll look like shmoes if they don't practice, urges them never to disclose how the trick is done)his advice on what's funny and what's not makes you laugh so hard it's worth the price of the book even if you never pull one quarter out of anyone's ear. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity Books - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 3-4    4. Games & Activities - Magic    5. Humor - Jokes & Riddles    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile Nonfiction / Activity Books   

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Science    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Science    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Cobb, Vicki    5. Experiments    6. Games & Activities - Magic    7. Juvenile Recreational Activities    8. Juvenile literature    9. Magic tricks    10. Science    11. Science & Nature - Experiments & Projects   

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    3. Children's 9-12 - Biography / Autobiography    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Escape artists    6. Games & Activities - Magic    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Magicians    10. United States    11. Actors, dancers, performers    12. Houdini, Harry   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Science    2. Children: Grades 3-4    3. Games & Activities - Magic    4. Juvenile Nonfiction    5. Juvenile literature    6. Magic tricks    7. Science & Nature - Experiments & Projects    8. Scientific recreations    9. Experiments & science projects    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Science & Technology / Experiments & Projects    11. STUDY NOTES - SparkNotes   

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Books With Items    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Games & Activities - Magic    5. Juvenile Nonfiction   

Editorial Review

Harry Blackstone Jr. shares the history of modern magic, largely as seen through the eyes of his family. His father was the original Great Blackstone and Blackstone has carried on the tradition. This is not a merely anecdotal history, however. It's Blackstone's personal reflections on the art and game of magic--not just how it works but why it works as entertainment. It's about the psychological showmanship as well as the craft. Included are lessons in how to perform tricks that go beyond the mere technical details to show how to make a simple trick a piece of true theater. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Secrets of illusion revealed by one of the OLD MASTERS!
As a Conjurer I have studied the classic works of many of the great old conjurers. Of all of them Blackstone is one of the most well known. This book provides clear and simple explanations of some of the greatest tricksand illusions known to Magic. Great for the beginning or advanced conjuror. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Blackstone, Harry    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Games & Activities - Magic    5. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    6. History    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Magic    9. Magic tricks    10. Magicians    11. United States    12. Conjuring & magic   

Reviews (2)

Great book for young readers!
For those of you with young children, my son will be four in a couple months, this book is awesome! He hasn't put it down since we gave it to him a week ago. Jack's review
It's a very good book.I like it.It's about droids.Battle droids and work droids. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Action & Adventure - General    3. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    4. Children: Preschool    5. Games & Activities - General    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Movie Tie - In    8. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    9. Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic   

Reviews (4)

Easy tricks, easy to learn, good book.
I liked this little book. I like to play around with cards a bit and picked this up looking for some easy tricks that even a dolt like me could do. The book fills the bill admirably. I can't comment on what a more professional magician would think - maybe these are useful for eighth graders only - I don't know. The tricks are well explained and should be easy to figure out for anyone with more than a passing interest. Good book.

Card Magic
This book is a great one for some sleights and the illustrations aren't very descriptive, but just enough so that you can understand the basic concept. The order of the tricks was put together well. If you want a book that will start you on the intermediate scale for magic with cards, get this book.

Not for anyone remotely interested in magic
This book is a collection of silly, obvious tricks requiring nothing but the most primitive sleight-of hand. I bought this book when I was first starting out in magic, but even with little experience I understood the worthlesness of these effects. If someone wants to demonstrate puzzles, that are cumbersome and may amuse but do not at all mystify this is the book for him. In addition I found the writing style obnoxious and condescending. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Card Games - General    2. Card tricks    3. Games    4. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    5. Games/Puzzles    6. Magic    7. Card games    8. HEALTH & FITNESS - DIETS TRD PB    9. Indoor games    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Games & Activities / Card Games   

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Games & Activities - Magic    4. Humor - General    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Juvenile literature    7. Tricks    8. BG-FICTION $5/10 - BG-LITERARY $5/10    9. Humor / Jokes & Riddles