Any young magician wanna-bes out there? How about kids, who wouldn't mind messing with their friends or showing off a little? While I'm not sure magic tricks are as big a thing as they were way back when I was a kid (my own kids haven't been drawn to these), I have no doubt that there are still young readers out there, who would love to know a few tricks. These kind of things are always fun and do draw a comment or two, if nothing else.
Now, I'm hoping this read doesn't have only the more traditional tricks but offers a few new ones as well.
Let's grab those cloaks and hats, and see how much magic is in the air!
HOW TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS
25 Brain-Breaking Magic Tricks
by David Kwong
Illustrated by Michael Korfhage
HarperCollins
Middle Grade Nonfiction
194 pages
ages 8 to 12
Congratulations -- by finding this book, you’ve just taken the first step to becoming a true magician!
How to Fool Your Parents is a fun-filled how-to book with more than two dozen tricks to dazzle your friends, amaze your family, and confound everyone in your audience. With step-by-step instructions and illustrations on every page, each illusion is made to be easy to master for aspiring magicians at any level. And it all comes from the maestro of magic himself, David Kwong—professional illusionist, beloved author, New York Times crossword puzzle constructor, and expert in all things enigmatic.
Whether you’re fooling parents, friends, or frenemies with a deck of cards or even your cell phone, this book will give you all the tools and confidence you need to amaze!
How to Fool Your Parents is a fun-filled how-to book with more than two dozen tricks to dazzle your friends, amaze your family, and confound everyone in your audience. With step-by-step instructions and illustrations on every page, each illusion is made to be easy to master for aspiring magicians at any level. And it all comes from the maestro of magic himself, David Kwong—professional illusionist, beloved author, New York Times crossword puzzle constructor, and expert in all things enigmatic.
Whether you’re fooling parents, friends, or frenemies with a deck of cards or even your cell phone, this book will give you all the tools and confidence you need to amaze!
MY TIDBITS
The traditional wonder surrounding magic melds with secrets and tips, while spinning some modern twists into several tricks.
This is a book for modern day magicians or those, who are just wanting to learn a few neat tricks to share. But before diving right into the how-tos, these pages go into the main secret behind creating good tricks—the act. No magician can be a good magician without entertaining the audience in all the right ways. The magic tricks described in this book aren't only easy to understand, but with a little practice, aren't too difficult to perform. There's also a short paragraph at the beginning of each one with ideas on how to keep the audience's attention where it needs to be. To round off the fun and add some fact goodness, well-known magicians are highlighted throughout the book with a little history and what made them so special.
While some magic books simply list the tricks, one after another, these pages take a more personal, informed approach. The author starts out with a couple pages describing the birth of his interest in magic, speaking directly to the reader. Then, there's a pledge for the reader to sign as well as a brief glossary of terms used in the magician realm. Then, come the tricks, but before the list of supplies and steps are given, it's explained how to best present each one to the audience. Each trick is clearly laid out with illustrations as needed to demonstrate steps as necessary. Even this part is written as if the author is speaking directly to the reader instead of sticking to dry information.
The tricks offer a nice variety of possibilities and mediums. There are card tricks, disappearing tricks, coin tricks and more. Some take preparation, while others can be done with only an object or two. Fitting to modern day lifestyles, smart phones, the internet, and other aspects are also worked into several of the tricks. So, this does give a modern atmosphere, gives a fresh twist to simple tricks, and offers readers something they can surprise their parents or friends with.
And here he is...
David Kwong is a magician and New York Times crossword puzzle constructor. He holds a degree in history from Harvard, where he studied the history of magicians. Kwong was the head magic consultant on the worldwide hit Now You See Me and is the secret code advisor on NBC's Blindspot. Other films he has consulted on include Mission: Impossible—Rogue Nation, The Imitation Game, and The Magnificent Seven. A TED Talk favorite, Kwong regularly lectures and performs for companies worldwide. He lives in Los Angeles.
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