Bird, Malcolm and Alan Dart: The Magic Handbook ©1992 Malcom Bird and Alan Dart; Pavilion Books Limited and Chronicle Books Softcover, perfectbound, 8x10", 88 pages

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Comments: Colorfully illustrated. Borrowed from my local library. This children's magic book is filled with excellent tricks that show off many of the principles of magic. On the negative side, as with so many beginner's books, the text is short and does little to teach the would-be magician how to present the effects in a magical way. Most explanations are done in a single paragraph! Lots of stuff to make, and the effects in general are powerful for a beginner's level book. Recommended.

Contents:

7 Chapter 1 Box of Tricks
8 What Every Magician Should Know: short essay on materials needed, the need for a costume and patter, and advice not to tell secrets.
10 The Conjuror's Workbox: materials to have on hand to make props

11 Chapter 2 Playing Cards
12 The Joker's Wild! Making a Joker "card corner shell" for a 3 card monte effect
13 Thoughtwave Transfer: Use of the simple cross-cut force
14 Flap Foolery: Making a flapped Joker for an instant card change, and makng a verticle flap for a standing card trick
15 Doubles by Numbers: A cute "sucker" trick. A King is wrongly predicted as a Queen, until it is found out the Queen has a moustache drawn on her! Uses a counting force
16 The Flying Aces: Two aces from four vanish from a paper bag and go to your pocket. Uses a homemade gimmicked card.
17 Card Detective: Card is found by making the spectator unknowingly return selection to an upside down deck.
18 Run Away Queen: A Queen tranposes with a number card sealed in an envelope. Uses a double faced card and a split Queen/number card, along with two regular cards.

19 Chapter 3 Magic Numbers
20 Dice Deduction: Dice numbers are determined mathematically
21 Boxing Clever: Magician is able to tell the value of dice on the opposite side. Another effect, the magician always rolls double sixes inside a matchbox
22 The Brainy Balloon: a mathematical prediction is made, the balloon is burst, and the number inside is correct.
23 Some Sum! Three spectators write a number, and a fourth adds them up. They match the prediction.
24 Count the Counters: Six numbers are chosen at random, and calculated as instructed by the magician. The end result matches the number of counters predicted.
25 Magical Multiplication: counters multiply from a book. A clever variation on the coin tray.
26 The Lost Link and the Tricky Fingers: The missing domino die is predicted, and the magician counts his fingers to prove he has 11.

27 Chapter 4 Water Wizardry
28 Colorful Cocktails: Three different colored drinks are poured from same pitcher. Uses red cabbage, bicarbonate of soda, washing soda, and vinegar (don't drink them!)
29 The Dissolving Coin: Coin vanishes from inside glass of water, after being seen inside.
30 Gravity Defying Water: Water remains suspended in glass of water when turned upside down with paper over the mouth. When the paper is removed, the water remains.
31 Water on the Elbow: creating your own comedy water funnel
32 The Water Pipe: A paper cups empties and fills with water instantly when covered with a tube
33 Liquid Paper: a cup of confetti turns into a cup of water
34 The Soggy News: water is poured into newspaper and doesn't come out!

35 Chapter 5 Bewitching Bafflers
36 The Baffling Box: making your own disappearing tray box
37 The Amazing Change Bag: making a simple change bag
38 Thin Air Tubes: Two tubes are shown empty but articles are produced. Uses a hanging load
39 The Bunny Hoop: An empty tube is covered with a hoop and piece of paper. The paper is torn through, and streamers and a paper bunny are removed.
40 A Handy Palette: streamers are pulled from a handkerchief. Uses a thimle gimmicked as a TT.
41 The Invisible Mender: cut and restored rope trick
42 The Sorcerer's Ark: a vanishing flap box

43 Chapter 6 Mystic Mindreading
44 Fingertip Readers: envelopes are matched to the spectator who used it.
45 Sensory Detection: magician detects envelope which contains odd button
46 Menagerie Mystery: Spectators call out names of animals, which are written down and placed in a hat. Magician makes a prediction, and a spectator removes one slip of paper: the prediction!
47 Color Control: Magician predicts which color paper will be predicted (all three accounted for)
48 Cards in Mind: Assistant correcly predicts card suit. An accomplice using a specially marked pen.
49 Message Revelation: One ahead principle
50 Treasure Trove: Spectator always gets the treasure by process of magician's choice

51 Chapter 7 Hanky Panky
52 The Elusive Button: A button vanishes from a handkerchief
53 Hideaway Handkerchief: a small doll vanishes inside a handkerchief, and suddenly flys out
54 Break Time: a wooden toothpick is snapped in a handkerchief, and removed restored
55 Switching Shades: make your own color changing handkerchief
56 The Sneaky Scarf: make your own Devil's Napkin with two handkerchiefs
57 Tumbler in Transit: a version of the glass through the table using a gimmicked handkerchief
58 The Wizard's Wallet: a two compartment "tube"

59 Chapter 8 Wonderful Wands
60 Mysterious Moves: make your own vanishing wand
61 Hoodoo Hues: Wand changes color as colored handkerchiefs are passed over
62 The Elastic Enigma: Growing and shrinking wand
63 A Sweetie Sorter: retrieve your favorite candy at the end of your wand
64 Spellbinding Levitation: levitating wand (IT)
65 Hypnotic Hand and the Rising Wand: more applications of the above
66 The Jumping Rod: wand jumps from your hand

67 Chapter 9 Paper Puzzlers
68 Loopy Loops: Afghan bands
69 The Peculiar Paper Package: Buddah papers
70 Check This! Black and Red tissues shown together and tore. When shaken open, they have joined to make a checkerboard
71 Chain Reaction: Two ribbons are torn and become a paper chain
72 The Illogical Hole: How to step through a hole in a card
73 Burst and Bewilder: Playing cards are placed in a paper bag. The bag is blown up and burst, and pips fall everywhere.
74 Cunning Clips and Tumbler's Bridge: linking paper clips and puzzle on suspending a cup using a sheet of paper

75 Chapter 10 For Your Amazement!
76 Looking the Part: Costume designs for Conjuror, Enchanter (Fez), Mystic, Emperor, Mime Artiste, Wizard
78 The Black Hole Table and how to make using cardboard
80 The Tip-Top Hat: Making a top hat to use with above table

81 Chapter 11 Party Magic
82 Party and Show Invitations: invisible ink (lemon juice), moving image rabbit out of hat, pop up bird, and candle writing ideas
83 Tabletop Trickery: Card markers, Top Hat Bowls, Wand Cutlery, Glove plates, Dice Napkins, Starry tablecloth
84 A Wizard Feast: Magic Beads (cream cheese filled cherry tomatoes), Cheese Dice, Card Sandwiches, Colored ice cubes, Non-spill drink (using jello), Hat Tricks (candy treat), Chocolate Wands, Sawn Lady Cakes
86 On With the Show! Ending notes.

87 Index
88 Short biographies of Alan Dart and Malcolm Bird