Vanished: Seven Women Magicians Who Simply Disappeared

Gr 4--7--This collected biography highlights the lives of seven little-known women who practiced magic, then disappeared from history. The title may lead some kids to believe the women literally vanished, but the stories are still engaging and will delight young readers. The women profiled include a medium, an escape artist, and a woman with superhuman strength. All the subjects profiled were born in either the United States or Europe. Within the biographical description for each figure, there is a dedicated section highlighting specific tricks she performed. Though detailed descriptions of the setup and procedure are provided for each act, the magicians' secrecy is preserved (a magician never reveals her tricks, after all). Photos of the performers, playbills, and newspaper clippings are peppered throughout each chapter with a larger collection of these items at the end of each chapter. The descriptions of the women are detailed but never bog down readers with shorter attention spans. The content and amount of information is age appropriate. This book will delight young magicians or any readers interested in mysterious history. VERDICT This engaging collected biography would be a wonderful addition to any library. The eye-catching cover and title may encourage reluctant readers of nonfiction to explore these mystifying women of magical history.--Jessica Trafton

This finely researched volume introduces readers to seven trailblazing American women from the Golden Age of Magic (1860-1930) who have since faded into obscurity. At a time when they had few professional options beyond teaching, domestic service, or nursing, these women bucked convention. Many had similar trajectories--coming from modest beginnings, they entered the theater before enjoying successful second innings as illusionists and conjurers. Anna Eva Fay began as a medium, moving from private parlor sittings to the stage. Dancer Adelaide Herrmann brought dazzle to the magic shows she performed with her husband. Dixie Haygood rose to fame as strongwoman Annie Abbott, while Mary Ann Ford was skilled at sleight of hand; she reinvented herself as Talma, Queen of Coins. Beatrice Houdini was a charismatic performer--and pivotal to her husband Harry's meteoric success. Margaretha Gertz (Snelling) dubbed herself Minerva, the Queen of Handcuffs, becoming a formidable escape artist who challenged Harry Houdini himself. Ellen Emma Armstrong, the only Black magician featured among the white women, endured segregation in the Jim Crow South but carried on her father's legacy as a traveling magician and educator, using her platform to educate and uplift Black audiences by showing the science behind her many tricks. Each profile is accompanied by photographs and ephemera. McDevitt's full-page color depictions of each subject's signature tricks are a delightful highlight. Hays does a commendable job of entertainingly chronicling the highs and lows of the magicians' professional and personal lives. Informative and inspiring. (epilogue, bibliography, photo credits)(Nonfiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.