The Disappearing Mr. Jacques
-
- $8.99
-
- $8.99
Publisher Description
Ta-da! A dazzling magician is willing to teach readers his most closely-held tricks in this cheekily fun, interactive picture book.
Do you believe in magic? No? Well, clearly you have never witnessed the astonishing, bewildering, disappearing Mr. Jacques.
Watch closely. He can wedge himself into the spine of this book, or drape himself across its pages. He can disappear before your very eyes! But is he really gone? If you listen, you can hear his cane tapping on the windows, and his boots pitter-pattering across the floor. And if you pay very close attention, maybe he will teach you some of his tricks, too.
Perfect for fans of There's a Dragon in Your Book and The Book of Mistakes, this is a magic show you can hold in your hands that will stay with you long after Mr. Jacques' final disappearance.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In an approach that vaguely recalls Tullet's Press Here, Sterer uses the pages of a book to represent an interactive magic act. In glib stage patter, the magician, portrayed with light skin and brown hair, introduces himself: "I am the astonishing, bewildering, disappearing Mr. Jacques." Chaud draws the magician in top hat, tails, a flashy red bow tie, and a glittery-eyed stare. After a dramatic build-up ("Look at me... while you still can"), the figure begins to fade. Over a series of carefully graded spreads, he becomes fainter and fainter in contrast to a rabbit sidekick who remains vividly present. Another page turn, and Mr. Jacques disappears altogether, leaving behind a blank page. Yet "you can still hear my voice, can't you?" Though the "voice" is just words on the page, the effect is surprisingly powerful, and the act continues. At last, if readers follow the stated directions, Mr. Jacques demonstrates that readers, too, have magic powers—of a sort. It's a work of entertainment that produces an eerie sense of presence. Ages 4–7.
