Synopses & Reviews
This illustrated biography of Harry Houdini combines original artwork and archival artifactsandmdash;including photographs, playbills and posters, letters, and even some of Houdiniandrsquo;s own stage propsandmdash;to bring the story of the worldandrsquo;s greatest escape artist to life.
Readers will learn all about Houdiniandrsquo;s unique rags-to-riches story, from his birth in a Hungarian ghetto to his death from a ruptured appendix at age fifty-two. The book details his career as an escape artist and explains how he evolved into the andldquo;King of Handcuffsandrdquo; on the vaudeville circuit and became an international star as his escape attempts reached ever more elaborate and dangerous heights. Filled with little-known facts, this is the perfect book for readers interested in magic and the history of Houdini.
The book includes a bibliography and index.
Praise for Harry Houdini
andquot;andhellip;a beautifully illustrated biography of this most fascinating manandhellip;With entertaining sidebars on metamorphosis tricks and dime bars, Harry Houdini is sure to enchant aspiring magicians, offbeat history buffs and anyone who, in our own straitened times, appreciates a good rag-to-riches taleandquot;
andmdash;New York Times
STARRED REVIEW
andquot;Period photographs from newspapers, personal collections, advertising flyers, and other sources alternate with full-page color artwork to create a rich, engaging tableau. While there are several excellent biographies of Houdini available...this one is a solid addition.andquot;
andmdash;School Library Journal, starred review
andquot;A well-rounded addition to the childrenandrsquo;s bookshelf about the multifaceted man.andquot;
andmdash;Publishers Weekly
Award Recognition
2012 Orbis Pictus Recommended book
2012 Norman A. Sugarman Childrenandrsquo;s Biography Award andndash; Honor book
Synopsis
Every kid has heard of Harry Houdini, the famous magician who could escape from handcuffs, jail cells, and locked trunks. But do they know that the ever-ambitious and adventurous Houdini was also a famous movie star and the first pilot to fly a plane in Australia? This well-told biography is full of the details of Houdini's life that kids will really want to know about and illustrated throughout with beautiful black-and-white line drawings.
Illustrated by John O'Brien.
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About the Author
Jim Gigliotti is a freelance writer based in Southern California. A former editor at the National Football League, he has written more than 50 books for all ages. His writing credits include biographies for young readers on Olympian Jesse Owens and baseball star Roberto Clemente.