The magic show book: a performance in a book by Gemma Westing

ed. by Fleur Star. Dorling Kindersley, 2016. ISBN 9780241251133
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Magic, Illusion, Paper craft, Pop up book. This amazingly designed book will intrigue and delight any reader who takes an interest in design or magic, illusion or paper crafts. Opening the book is magical in itself as the pages are brilliantly enticing with their panorama of colour and invention. A contents page on the inside cover shows the range of things to read and do: abracadabra, wand tricks, rope tricks, coin tricks and disappearing acts to the less well known tricky chicken and the slicer trick. Even this list of contents is enticing. The first page tells the budding magician what he or she will need to do these tricks, and then over the page is the first trick Abracadabra, with an inserted black page on which to write. This is followed by several pages of wand tricks, and then numerology and the slicer. Each page has full instructions and the double thickness pages make a solid base on which to play out these tricks with the audience.
The book will be a wonderful addition to a class of kids wanting to play some magic tricks, and is one of several published by DK: Magic, Optical Illusions, Mind Benders, Colour Illusions and More Illusions. Each is designed to intrigue and delight, enticing readers to try these out with friends and families.
Fran Knight