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The first thing you notice about Illusionology: The Secret Science of Magic is the fantastic lenticular image on the front cover. Chances are you are familiar with lenticular images, even if you didn't know that's what they are called. (Hey I didn't know until I asked the internet.) Basically lenticular images are those ribbed plastic images that change as your viewpoint does. They were popular on cereal boxes and in Cracker Jacks back in the day, before holographic images stole their thunder. So retro-chic. In the case of this new book from Candlewick Press (the brains behind all the Ology books), the image on the cover is an adorable magician's bunny that gets all steampunky right before your eyes.
The inside is no less impressive then the cover. If you are already a fan of the Ology series of books then you know what they excel at is old school, analog books, with stellar interactive features. This isn't just a book with instructions for over 30 magic tricks. It's not just a history of illusions and magic. This book doesn't just explain to you the science behind why illusions and magic tricks fool our eyes – it does it in style. With an array of pull-out charts, mini books, pop-ups, and secret envelopes to be explored, Illusionology creates a mood, one that had my 12 year old entranced for hours.
Kids have all the props they need right in the book to learn and demonstrate several different tricks for their family. And when they are done with those, the publisher's note in the back of the book offers suggestions for continued reading.
You can buy Illusionology in your local bookstore and at Amazon. You won't however find it in an eBook. Be sure to check out OlogyWorld.com for more fantastic interactive paper books.
