February 19, 2007
A single stunt from the sprawling career of the "handcuff king," Harry Houdini ("The man for whom the phrase 'kids, don't try this at home' might well have been invented," reads Glen David Gold's introduction), is the lynchpin of this brief, elegant book. But the authors intimate larger, at times darker themes (true love, arrogance, anti-Semitism) lurking around the outer edges. Houdini is an insecure man obsessed with fame, but also a faithful and devoted husband. As the story opens on May 1, 1908, he is preparing for a handcuffed jump from Harvard Bridge, chafing at badgering reporters and a flock of imitators who are stealing his tricks. Illustrations show him preparing to defeat the handcuffs, and wordless panels ultimately allow readers to witness the escape process in its entirety. Houdini himself comes off as a flawed but respectable man, whose principles make him both exceptional at what he does and difficult to be around. Several pages of historical notes fill in the details. Lutes and Bertozzi successfully offer a tiny snapshot as a way into a very large life. Ages 10-up.
July 1, 2007
Gr 4-10-An interesting fictional account of Harry Houdini's jump from Harvard Bridge in Cambridge, MA, on May 1, 1908. The action moves a bit slowly, but the story demonstrates one of the possible secrets of Houdini's escapesmany have theorized that his wife slipped him keys or lock picks via a kiss. An introduction and discussions of specific panels at the end give further information about the magician, his knack for promotion, and his hard work figuring out countless ways to escape handcuffs, sealed containers, etc. The black, white, and gray drawings are reasonably goodwhile at times they are flat, the tight focus on the action keeps the story moving. If you have patrons interested in Houdini, escape artists, or graphic novels about real people, this would be a useful addition."Nancy Kunz, Tuckahoe Public Library, NY"
Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from March 15, 2007
Following Houdini on the morning of his leap (while handcuffed) into the frigid Boston River, readers gain a remarkably complete picture of his world. They will meet his wife, Bess; his strong-arm man, Beatty; reporters desperate to get a quote; and crowds hungry for a glimpse of him. Most of all, they get to know Houdini himself, who, as an extensive introduction notes, was probably the most famous man in the world at the time. Proud and obsessed--with his skill, his fame, and his wife--Houdini was a showman of the highest order who knew he represented hope to his adoring American public. He also knew that he had an unprecedented talent for self-hype. Avoiding overt, showy tricks themselves, Lutes and Bertozziuse clean, simple storytelling and crisp, clear black-and-white art to create not only a portrait of the man but also that sense of suspense and anticipation Houdini generated in his performances. Endnotes linked to specific pictures offer background on everything from anti-Semitism (Houdini was Jewish) to handcuffs. A bibliography of mostly older adult titles is appended.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)