Hocus Pocus: A Tale of Magnificent Magicians

It's not every day you receive a book that's been blurbed by David Copperfield, but there it is, right at the top of the press release for Hocus Pocus: A Tale of Magnificent Magicians (Scholastic) by Paul Kieve with illustrations by Peter Bailey. Copperfield is endorsing the author's approach to teaching magic while also telling an interesting fictional tale. Believe it or not, he's right.

Hocus Pocus is the delightful story of a boy who wants to learn magic, and along the way Kieve shows how more than thirty magic tricks are done. Throw in some whimsical yet informative drawings and you've got a kind of coffee table book for kids. If you're looking for a birthday present for an 8- to 12-year-old who likes magic, this is definitely the book for them.

Added bonus: The actor Daniel Radcliffe, star of the Harry Potter movies, contributes the introduction.