Somebody once told me that there were more books written on the art of magic than on all of the other performing arts combined! At first I found that hard to believe. After all, there's acting, singing, dance, mime, juggling...the list went on and on. I thought that would be impossible!
But then I started to really look at it. Personally, I have well over 100 books on magic in my library. The local magic club I belong to boasts over 1,000 books and videos on the art of magic. Every month new books are being published by magicians all over the world. The more I think about it, the more I think that statement may be true. There are A LOT of books on magic.
I've had several librarians ask me which magic books I'd recommend. Without hesitation, I'd say the first one is "Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic." Not only does this book contain magic tricks for all skill levels, but it also covers a wide range of magic. Cards, coins, stage illusions, tricks with everyday objects; it's all in here. This is still one of my "go-to" books when it comes to magic. For sentimental reasons I also recommend "Magic With Everyday Objects" by George Schindler. George is a dear friend of mine and is the Dean of the Society of American Magicians. He's highly-skilled and very respected in the magic world. But, putting all of that aside, it's still a great book for beginners.
I love my magic books and whenever I run into someone who's interested in magic, I encourage them to visit the library. An additional way to learn magic is by taking a magic class. If you think a magic class would fit into your Summer Reading Program, please get in touch with me. During my hour-long class I teach about half a dozen very cool magic tricks. I would suggest a minimum age of 6 or 7 for the class.
You may also want to consider an adult magic class. That's right, magic isn't just for kids anymore! The tricks I teach to adults are simple, fun and AMAZING. It doesn't matter if someone is 18 or 80, they'll leave the class knowing how to do some very astounding things.
If this sounds interesting to you, please get in touch with me. I'd love to teach a magic class at your library.
