Milo's Hat Trick

Never was a magician less aptly named than Milo the Magnificent. Hopelessly incompetent, he couldn't even do a decent hat trick. When his stage manager gave him an ultimatum - pull a rabbit out of his hat, or leave the company - our hero set out for the woods, in order to find the required leporine assistant. What he found instead was a bear, a bear with a special talent. And so began a hilarious series of adventures, as Milo and the bear become separated on their way into the city, only to be reunited at the right time...

As a great admirer of author/artist Jon Agee's picture-books, which always keep me entertained with their droll humor and amusing illustrations, I am very pleased that Milo's Hat Trick, originally published in 2001, show more and subsequently out of print, has been republished in this new (2017) edition. An engaging story, one which will keep young children amused with its tale of a bumbling magician who finds his way in the end, is paired with hilarious cartoon-style illustrations in Agee's own inimitable style. Recommended to all fellow Jon Agee fans, and to anyone looking for children's stories about magicians, bears, and/or amusing adventures. show less

A down on his luck magician tries could save his act by pulling a rabbit out of his hat, but he finds a bear instead. Seems like a great idea until Milo loses his hat in the city and the cooperative bear misses his cue. Another example of Agee's simple yet imaginative landscapes where gentle chaos erupts and then order is restored.

Milo the magician is a mess. Not only does he botch his card tricks and tangle his rope tricks, but he can't even manage the old standby: pulling a rabbit from a hat. Spurred on by his manager's fury, Milo heads out of the city to find himself a rabbit. Dangling a carrot over his top hat, our magnificent magician captures... a bear. Here is where his luck turns. As it happens, this particular bear is adept at jumping into hats: "You just pretend your bones are made of rubber," he says. "It's a secret I learned from a rabbit." Returning to the city, (after a brief mix-up on the subway), the two quickly become a smash sensation. But after popping in and out of 762 hats, the bear is positively pooped. Can Milo carry on without his show more rubber-boned buddy much longer? Great line, charcoal and water color drawings. show less

This was a funny book. The failing magician needs a rabbit to pull out of his to save his act, but he finds a cooperative bear instead. The bear conveniently has already learned to perform the trick from a rabbit friend and agrees to help the magician. The bear, hiding inside the hat, gets separated from the magician on the way to the stage and has to find his way back to the magician in time for the show. Everything works out in the nick of time and Milo the Magician gets famous. Eventually the bear tires out and decides to return to his cave, but not before imparting the workings of the trick to Milo so that Milo can soldier on with a slight change in his act. I loved it.

I would use this book as an interactive read-aloud for a 2nd-3rd grade class because it is a humorous book that I think would be fun for a 2nd-3rd grade class to be involved in and I could use this book to teach students new vocabulary. I think grades 2nd-3rd would fit best of this book because it does use descriptive language that would not be age appropriate of younger grades. I would use this book to teach students about character because the character Milo is relatable and I would also use the book yo teach students how to make inferences. "What will happen next?" "How do you think this will turn out?" This book also uses descriptive language which can be used to teach students new vocabulary. I would use this book to teach the show more theme of perseverance because this book shows how believing in yourself even when doing something difficult can work out when you persevere. show less

I liked this book for several reasons. Most importantly, it was a fun, enjoyable book to read. It’s a lighthearted story that, coupled with it’s lovable characters and simplistic illustrations, will make anyone smile. The best part of the book is probably the characters, as they are easily relatable. For example, Milo, the main character, can't find a rabbit to pull out of his hat. Although this isn't a problem that children are likely to face, the struggle that Milo goes through to find a rabbit to please his boss is comparable to problems children may have in their daily lives. At the end, Milo doesn't find a rabbit, but instead finds a bear. However, the show is still a success, and Milo's boss is pleased. This illustrates an show more important lesson: there isn't always one "right answer" to a problem.

Another positive aspect of this book was the illustrations. They were very whimsical, and did a good job of adding to the character description. For example, Milo is a character whose big hat and nose take up almost his entire face. He's tall, lanky, and slightly hunched over. It looks as if he is withdrawn. This definitely fits his character description, as he is described as a failure of a magician with very little self confidence. In contrast, the character of the bear is a big, looming (but friendly) presence. This fits with his description as a confident character.

The big idea of this book can be described as a problem-solution effect. Milo had a problem, (he couldn't pull a rabbit out of his hat.) Although there were some bumps in the road (he couldn't find a rabbit, for example,) he was able to find an alternate solution that worked. show less

Not everyone will enjoy the sly & surreal genius of Jon Agee, but for those of us who are fans, this is a treat. And judging by the condition of my library copy, it's a hit with at least some other readers!