The Houdini Box

First heard this book when the author, Avi, Pam Munoz Ryan and Sarah Weeks performed it as an author's readers theater at the American Library Association's annual conference in 2009. Couldn't wait to pick it up (at my local library!), although now I regret that I didn't purchase discounted copies of this and "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" at the same time and get them autographed. I'm amazed at Selznick's ability to combine genres (biography, historical fiction, humor) in such a fascinating way, with illustrations that take you back into the time period. This will definitely be read aloud in my elementary school library!

I thought this little book was wonderfully written and would be great for children of all ages, it was a great historical fiction read. I liked the proportion of text to pictures in the story; it was very equal. The illustrations were amazing and very detailed. The emotion on the character’s faces is clearly visible which adds depth to the enchanting story. The book although, very magical in the way it was written and in the plot of the story, has a great moral as well. It teaches children to follow their dreams and never give up on them, no matter how silly or magical they may be.

Quick easy enjoyable read with beautiful pictures. As the typical Selznick form. And even learned a little something....well, I did anyway. Don't always give up on people so easily even if you don't get what you expect from them, you may miss out on something and even forgiveness! At least that's what I got out of it. :-)

A boy obsessed with magic (and constantly locking himself up without being able to escape) meets his hero, Harry Houdini by chance. Harry writes him a letter and the boy arrives at Houdini's house on the day of his death. Houdini's wife gives the boy a box - but whose box? Containing what? The mystery of the box unfolds at the end in a fun surprise.
Classic Selznick black and white illustrations enhance the slim text.

The story is so compelling. Then you get to the afterward and it's even more interesting. How nice to have this legend displayed for a new generation so beautifully.

I really enjoyed the story and mystery of this book. The illustrations made the text have more meaning and the story was fun and exciting.

Summary: The Houdini Box is about a young boy named Victor who wants to be just like his idol, Harry Houdini. He tries to perform the same tricks as Houdini, but ends up trapped in his grandmother's trunk, or nearly drowned in the bath tub. He meets Houdini one night on the train station, and is invited to his house, however, when he arrives, Houdini has passed away. Houdini's wife gives him a box left to him with the initials "E.W." on it. However, Victor buries the box and forgets about it until many years later, when he comes to find out that "E.W." stands for Ehrich Weiss- Houdini's true name. He opens the box and finally learns of Houdini's secrets.

Personal Connection: I have always been infatuated with learning about magic, and show more could relate to Victor's interest in learning about Houdini. I also found it especially helpful to have more information about Houdini in the back of this book, to tell the true story of Houdini's life.

Extras:
-Selznick's first book, and his hero- Harry Houdini
-Information in back of book explains how the information was found and utilized for this text

Application to Teaching: This book would be a great read aloud to any children interested in learning about Harry Houdini, and very relatable for a young audience. It is too difficult for an independent reading text at the K-1 level, however, it pairs fiction and nonfiction together well and would work well in either sort of unit. show less