Yaffe, Malcolm: Paths to Enchantment ©2008 Malcolm Yaffe and Stephen Minch, Hermetic Press, WA Hardcover, w/dj, 241 pages ISBN: 978-0-945296-58-4

Image from Magicref

Comments: Illustrated by Earle Oakes. A Professional Approach to Children's Entertainment. Malcolm presents techniques for entertaining children, with examples of scripted routines demonstrating the technique.

Contents (from book):

ix Foreword: What This Is and Isn't
xi Introduction

1 How to Use This Book
7 The Techniques

9 First Technique - They See You Don’t
12 Blank at the Front Blank at the Back: card effect using the Nudist, or Mental Photography Deck

19 Second Technique - The Frustrated Wizard
21 Fly on Lapel: bug keeps appearing on your jacket
26 Dom-Dom-Domino: dots change color
31 Fantastic Frame: silks are removed from a frame, vanish, and reappear in the frame
33 The Magic Wand Box: a wand keeps re-appearing in a box

45 Third Technique - Fantasizing
49 Strictly Representational Props
51 Piggy's Lesson: routine around the Forgetful Freddy prop
61 Non-Representational Props and the Presentational Hook
63 Rope to Silk: rope is cut and restored to a silk
67 The Invisible Balloon: comedy routine using a chair suspension

73 Fourth Technique - Animation
75 Marvin the Watch-Repairing Mouse: full children's routine with a variety of props
85 - Handling and Presentation
86 Importing Animation Into Existing Tricks: with example of String and Bones effect
89 How Animation Can Be Accomplished: clockwork example

95 Fifth Technique - Business, Participation, and Involvement
95 Business
101 Participation
102 Clock Off: a clock penetrates the wand it is suspended on
106 Dressing Up
110 The Girl with the Blue Nose: mutilated sunshade
115 Letting the Magic Happen in Their Hands: examples include the Devil's Cabinet
119 Involvement
121 The Climax Egg Bag: bag transforms into a chicken at the end
123 Involvement Illustrations
123 - Letting Them Show Off
125 - Eliciting Specific Verbal Responses
125 - Encouraging The Miming or Performance of a Physical Action
126 - Directly Communicating With Individuals in the Audience
126 - Misnaming a Child
127 - Cultivating Applause

129 Sixth Technique - The Mischief-Maker
131 Visible Mischief-Maker Integral to the Storyline: House Mouse example
135 Invisible Mischief-Maker: Rabbit Return and Teleframe examples
140 Little Ted's Cave: using the Gung-Ho production Box, a Milk Jug that rises on a rope
147 Hybrid Mischief-Maker
148 The Astounding Blocks: blocks become threaded in a square cylinder

155 Seventh Technique - The Success Factor
160 The Wrong Result

161 Eighth Technique - Add-Ons and Compatibility
167 Klowning Kats: original effect was one of a trio of wooden cats turns into a clown, and how Malcolm updates it
174 The Light and Heavy Glass: updated

179 Ninth Technique - Storytelling

183 Tenth Technique - Chaos: example of theatre with lots of mechanical toys

189 Eleventh Technique - Emotional Appeals
190 Magic Mystery and Surprise: examples include Germain Water Jars
193 The Shriek Factor: with Zombie Ball example
196 The Skeleton Hand in Wand: how to build it
198 Skull from Bucket
200 Flash Glamour Pizazz
202 The Joy of Recognition

205 Appendix
205 The Magic Card Shop
212 House Mouse
217 The Giant and the Dwarf
220 Twenty-First Century Compass
223 The Rings
230 The Wand Box
237 The Massal Tube
241 Envoi