Harry Houdini: The Legend of the World’s Greatest Escape Artist

Weaver’s (Hudson) well-researched biography of Harry Houdini paints a complex picture of the escape artist who worked tirelessly to fill the public’s appetite for thrilling stunts. Her wide-ranging narrative, making use of numerous direct quotations, allows readers to see Houdini not only as the “King of Handcuffs” but also as an entrepreneur, family man, movie star, debunker of spiritualists, and, always, an entertainer not above bending the truth for self-promotion. Firmly placing Houdini’s life in the context of his time, wide sidebar panels provide details on that era, from immigration and child labor to dime museums and first flights (in 1910, Houdini himself made the first official airplane flight recorded in Australia). Each spread is visually inviting, mixing b&w photographs and colorful playbills, sometimes alongside moody full-page paintings from Lane (an illustrator making his children’s book debut), which contribute to an overall air of mystery. A well-rounded addition to the children’s bookshelf about the multifaceted man who said, “My chief task... has been to conquer fear.” Ages 8–12. (Oct.)