The Magic in You

This is not simply a book about how to do magic tricks- it is much more. It is part self-help, part-learning how to do ‘incredible things’ like sleight of hand, joke telling, physical comedy, circus skills, science experiments, spy tricks and mental health tips.

It’s written by Mat Ricardo, a world-renowned entertainer who started his career as a street performer in Covent Garden in London before moving onto tour the world with his variety shows. This book is a handbook for fans or future performers who want to learn from the master or are curious to see how such tricks work.

The book is divided into chapters on themes such as comedy, magic and circus, and each trick or tip is accompanied by friendly and often humorous guidance, making it read as if someone is with you helping you along. What I really enjoyed about the book was this tone- it’s light, fun but also encouraging. It doesn’t have step-by-step images to show how to do the tricks but the guidance is thorough enough not to need it (trust me, I tried a few tricks out myself!). Readers can learn how to make items vanish or appear, tell the perfect joke, balance items on your face, bend water, tell if someone is lying and much more.

In the hands of young people, this book will keep them entertained for hours. Whether that’s having a go at learning to juggle, practising blowing over a book or reading more about Mat’s journey. It would be great for any young reader who is familiar with Mat’s work or has an interest in doing something similar-either in public or with friends and family. A great leisure read for curious, determined readers. It would be great for older primary pupils and secondary school aged readers.