Review by Booklist Review
The King of Handcuffs is a font of endless fascination for kids, and this fine biography should have no trouble holding its own on the already crowded Houdini shelf. Weaver zips through his subject's rags-to-riches tale from immigrant son of an itinerant rabbi to international sensation with both clarity and economy, emphasizing how Houdini coupled his sleight-of-hand talent with a determination to perfect the art of showmanship. In addition to context-providing sidebars that flesh out the spirit of his era, Weaver describes the inner workings of some of Houdini's more impressive feats, but she wisely maintains an air of mystery around others (including the diabolical Chinese Water Torture Cell, still unexplained to this day). Exploit-filled photographs, choice period artwork, and some swell full-page illustrations from Lane mesh well and highlight the book's savvy design. The many quotations used throughout are all fully sourced, making this a prime title for biography assignments or a precursor for curious readers not quite up to Sid Fleischman's Escape! The Story of the Great Houdini (2006).--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Weaver's (Hudson) well-researched biography of Harry Houdini paints a complex picture of the escape artist who worked tirelessly to fill the public's appetite for thrilling stunts. Her wide-ranging narrative, making use of numerous direct quotations, allows readers to see Houdini not only as the "King of Handcuffs" but also as an entrepreneur, family man, movie star, debunker of spiritualists, and, always, an entertainer not above bending the truth for self-promotion. Firmly placing Houdini's life in the context of his time, wide sidebar panels provide details on that era, from immigration and child labor to dime museums and first flights (in 1910, Houdini himself made the first official airplane flight recorded in Australia). Each spread is visually inviting, mixing b&w photographs and colorful playbills, sometimes alongside moody full-page paintings from Lane (an illustrator making his children's book debut), which contribute to an overall air of mystery. A well-rounded addition to the children's bookshelf about the multifaceted man who said, "My chief task... has been to conquer fear." Ages 8-12. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-7-Prestidigitator, ghost hunter, magician, tie cutter, and messenger boy were some of Houdini's many pursuits, but escape artist is what he is most famous for, and rightly so. In this picture-book biography, Weaver tells the tale of how Ehrich Weiss, a Jewish immigrant and rabbi's son, morphed into the great Harry Houdini, magician and illusionist. His story is an interesting combination of luck, both good and bad; hard work; and sheer willpower, and the author conveys all of those elements in a manner that is accessible and thrilling to young readers. She covers everything from his early life in Wisconsin to the controversy surrounding his untimely death, as well as his widow's attempts to contact him in the afterlife through mediums. 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, including Tom Lalicki's Spellbinder (Holiday House, 2000) and Sid Fleischman's Escape! (Greenwillow, 2006), this one is a solid addition. Houdini was a fascinating character and most collections can never have too much of a good thing.-Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Ehrich Weiss was born in Budapest and died Harry Houdini in Detroit, having lived a rags-to-riches story that was inescapably magical.Though Harry's father had a law degree, was a rabbi and spoke several languages, he never seemed to find success, and Harry left home at 12 to find his way in the world. Like many children of the late 19th century, he had little education but many jobs. He was a newspaper boy, an assistant cutter in a tie factory, a shoe shiner and a messenger boy, but he escaped these dead-end jobs to find a future in magic, where there were better things to escape from: handcuffs, jails, milk cans and a Chinese Water Torture Cell. Though the cover bills this volume as "The Legend of the World's Greatest Escape Artist," Weaver's narrative is straightforward and factual, never quite conveying the excitement and magic of her subject. The unusual mix of original art and archival materialphotographs, promotional posters and playbillsis bolstered by effective sidebars that offer historical context for the narrative. A section of references and resources will lead young readers to good books and websites that will help bring Houdini's magic to life more effectively than the text does by itself.Overall, a solid-enough introduction to Houdini; good escapist reading that should lead to more. (source notes, index)(Biography. 8-12)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
