Birthday Magic

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-- Part of a series of holiday magic books, each of these small volumes (6 x 6) describes ten tricks that would be appropriate to perform at specific holidays. Included are card tricks, geometric and mathematical tricks, and paper-cutting tricks. Legardemain is rarely required, and the props listed are readily available--things such as drinking glasses, paper, and pencils. In a well organized way, the magician/author offers simple, accurate directions for uncomplicated tricks that work, and that offer some small range of difficulty. All tricks are for beginners. Each chapter is divided into three sections, one on how the trick looks, one on how to prepare it, and one on how to do it. The drawings, although only average in quality, are clear and helpful in understanding the mechanics of the tricks. Each book ends with the same chapter, a sensible list of suggestions to improve one's performance as a magician. --Cynthia Bishop, Onondaga County Public Library, Syracuse, N.Y.