The Missing Trick

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

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Physical Properties

Description

Louis is a young street magician. He is setting up for his show but he can't find his rabbit anywhere. He looks inside his hat but finds only a bouquet of flowers, which is caught by a a passing woman as he throws it away in disgust. He looks under his cups, spilling out dozens of balls, which are pounced upon by a group of kids. An endless string of scarves comes out of his sleeve and is wrapped around the neck of a posh lady.... With each trick, his audience grows, and unbeknownst to Louis, his show is unfolding brilliantly... But WHERE could that pesky rabbit be hiding

Finally, Louis looks in his bag.... climbs in it.... and disappears. Now the rabbit AND Louis are missing! The audience hold their breaths until, POOF! Louis appears on the table in a puff of smoke. They erupt in a roar of applause. Louis, bemused, notices them for the first time. He takes off his cap to take a bow. The rabbit is sitting on his head. This is funny but also empowering story about a child, unaware of his own talents, who creates a diverse community around him, delighting in his show.

Reviews

'Simple, brief text and wonderful illustrations tell the story of a young magician setting up for a magic show. But Louis becomes frustrated that he cannot find his rabbit - he finds flowers, cups, a wand, balls, a flock of doves, a lamp and myriad things that really should not be able to fit in his magician's bag, and tosses them out in frustration. Meanwhile, the people passing by are delighted by all of the things magically appearing from the bag, and an appreciative crowd gathers. When Louis finally takes a bow and doffs his hat to acknowledge the crowd's attentions, the rabbit appears - it was under his hat the whole time!

This is an adorable story, complemented by energetic, fun illustrations. The art excels at showing the growing happy crowd of diverse spectators enjoying Louis's capers, and it's hard not to smile and shout "Hooray!" along with them'. -- Youth Services Book Review

'Louis sets up his magic show but can't find his rabbit. As he pulls tricks out of his bag looking for him, a large crowd gathers around him. A fun and # inclusive picture book with lots to explore'.
-- CILIP School Libraries Group

'This was a cute and silly story about producing something great out of your unexpected mistakes. Readers will be charmed by Louis and his search for his rabbit, as he produces magical tricks that delight crowds and grow his audience. The ending with the rabbit is giggle-worthy and gives all the satisfaction of a job well done - and the finding of something lost in the last place you'd expect (anyone who has searched for their glasses only to find them on them and other such things will definitely find that this resonates).

This book is great for toddlers and preschoolers, who will get the humor and appreciate the quickly turning pages. The search for a lost item is a game of hide-and-seek that most of them will be familiar with, and the simplicity of the story, told in part through the illustrations, helps with early reading comprehension. The text is clear, large, and easy to read, making this a great choice for bedtime and reading aloud. The simple illustrations capture the story well.

Final verdict: A sweet picture book read about embracing the unexpected, THE MISSING TRICK will delight young readers with its simplicity and magic. Recommend for toddlers and preschoolers'.
-- YA and Kids Book Central

'As with all other books from Cicada that I've read, The Missing Trick is another top quality children's picture book. It's beautifully produced with a solid, robust cover and illustrated end papers that fit the story brilliantly so that there's a feeling of luxury attached to it. The durability of the cover means this book would be perfect for both home and pre-school settings.

The story is charming as Louis pulls all kinds of items out of his pockets, sleeves and cloak as he searches for the missing rabbit. I can imagine children having great fun predicting what might emerge and The Missing Trick is great for developing vocabulary as all kinds of items appear that children can name. There's also a lovely joke as Louis also disappears as well as the rabbit.

Other jokes are visual as the fantastic illustrations underpin the story superbly, such as the bunch of flowers ending up with the couple obviously in love. The illustrations as just wonderful - vibrant, colourful, engaging and so well balanced against white space. Louis's expressions would be perfect for exploring feelings and emotional literacy with young children. However, what I loved most about The Missing Trick was the diversity included in the illustrations. When Louis finally reappears out of his bag of tricks, the audience is filled with people of colour so that all children will find someone to relate to in the story. It really is wonderful, and sadly infrequent, to find such diverse ethnicity in children's books.

I loved too, the underpinning message that we may have talents that we're unaware we have. Louis is surprised by the crowd's reaction to his antics in searching for the rabbit as he entertains them unwittingly. It's a super idea to show children that how we see ourselves may not be how others see us and it's a boost to confidence.

The Missing Trick is a delightful picture book full of fun that young children will adore'. -- Linda's Book Bag

'Illustrator Aimee Wright's vibrant and detailed artwork brings Louis' show to life, revealing his magic tricks to a curious crowd gathering to watch. Our loveable protagonist is completely unaware of his own talent and unbeknown to him, as his unintentional magic show continues, the bemused and captivated crowd grows. Lively scenes surround a preoccupied Louis, offering plenty of fun details for young readers to pore over and prompts to help him find the missing rabbit. A magical story about talent and self-belief, that acts as a reminder that sometimes distractions can mean we miss the magic happening right in front of us. -- Paper Ren

'This new picture book is perfect for little ones and my nieces have enjoyed reading this several times (they are three).

There are lots of simple values you could discuss with little children in this gentle yet entertaining story. Firstly, the value of happiness. In this book, there is a sense of happiness that runs through every page. The audience find Louis funny, entertaining and endearing as they watch his magic 'show': their faces and body language give plenty of opportunity for young children to infer that they are happy. This could be followed about an informal discussion about what makes us happy or what makes us laugh. How can you tell when someone is feeling happy Incidentally, Aimee Wright's beautifully illustrated audience are diverse too - meaning every child reading this book can relate to the people they see shown on the pages.

Secondly, the value of pride. I love the way all of the people watching Louis are increasingly proud of him - and he has no idea! They are cheering him on, celebrating when he eventually finds the rabbit and applauding his humour and success. Even more powerfully, Louis - who originally thought everything had gone wrong - realises the crowd are still happy and feels proud of himself! It is a simple yet striking moment as Louis stands proudly with his hands on hips and a smile plastered across his face.

Thirdly, the value of perseverance. Things continually go wrong for Louis and he feels decidedly frustrated. Yet, he doesn't give up. He keeps searching for the rabbit regardless of how long it takes him as he wants to produce a good show for his audience. In the end, it works out, but all too many times we see children who give up - particularly when all eyes are on them. Louis could teach our children a lot about staying calm under pressure and persevering.

I like this simple yet powerful book and think it offers really valuable opportunities for rich discussion with children up to the age of 7 or 8. -- The Value's Bookshelf

'This charming picture book with vivid narrative illustrations tells the story of a young magician. Frustrated that his rabbit has gone missing, he finds and discards numerous items from his magic hat without realising the butterfly effect of positivity his actions have caused. Eventually, he finds his rabbit, and only then does he notice the huge and appreciative crowd. With a great twist ending and sparse text, this is a fantastic book to use for visual comprehension and discussion with struggling or reluctant readers in EYFS and KS1'. -- School Reading List

'An entirely clever and brilliantly illustrated story, where fewer words and more reliance on images will allow readers to tell their own version of events. Louis is setting up got his magic show and we can view everything that he does and that happens, and each turn of the page adds a new element to the story, from new audience members, accidents with his props and the domino effect of each added element providing its own show before Louis can actually begin properly. Louis is searching for his Rabbit, an integral part of his show but he is nowhere to be found. Simple questions on each page provide ample entertainment for the audience in the book and those holding the book! I can't recommend this one highly enough for reading aloud and allowing children to explain what is happening in the story, perhaps finding those small details missed by others and sharing in the joy of a magic show!' -- My Shelves Are Full

Author Bio

Aimee Wright is a young illustrator living and working in Northumberland. Graduating with First Class Honours form Leeds Arts University in 2019, she has since worked with a range of clients. Drawing in pen and ink, her character-filled illustrations evoke nostalgia whilst also drawing directly from contemporary life.

C K Smouha is a children's author living and working in Bristol. She is the author of Born Bad (Cicada, 2018), Sock Story (Cicada, 2019) and The Problem With Pierre (Cicada, 2020).