The Book That Can Read Your Mind

November 27, 2023
Coppo presents a literal interpretation of the idea that books contain magic with this interactive “mind-reading” tome. A white, nearly featureless bunny in a tux welcomes “prestigious readers” to a stage show and attempts to persuade that this title is “magical.” Aware that typical tricks don’t pack an on-the-page punch, the magician takes a different tack: “What if I told you that I could read your mind?” Prompted to select an audience member from a spread of creatures (including a fork, mushroom, skeleton, and more), readers then follow a pick-your-path-style format as they turn to different pages depending on their choice’s location. Working with a limited palette of rose, green, black, and white, Coppo’s vintage-styled illustrations are framed by botanicals. Though the trick takes up a lot of pages, the end result is indeed head-scratchingly ingenious—enough so to prompt many rereads. Includes an afterword about the history behind the magic. Ages 5–8.

January 15, 2024
Coppo adapts a 17th-century Italian magic trick for her latest meta excursion. Tuxedoed Lady Rabbit welcomes her audience, acknowledging that wow-level magic is difficult to pull off in a book. Making something appear as if out of nowhere...well, "any book can do that!" But the titular claim bears out in cleverly designed pages. First, readers are told to scan a page of audience members (36 charmingly unique denizens arrayed in six rows) and to choose one member. Lady Rabbit then asks kids to identify the row of their seated pick by turning to a specific page. Uh-oh! Every audience member has changed seats! Again directed to a particular page based on their choice's new row, readers will discover that Lady Rabbit has guessed their pick. All nine answer pages include the characters and the instruction: "I guessed it, didn't I? Now go to page 39." There, with a "TA-DA!" and a bow, the white rabbit invites kids to turn back to pages 12-13 to try again. Coppa's finely inked floral borders and decorated proscenium arch, colored in black and white and muted greens and salmon, emanate a vintage feel. Kids will warm to amusing audience members such as Shroom, Yeti, and Unknown (a smiling question mark) and will delight in the various mini-creatures adorning each page. One downside of the trick's interactivity: The six pages that redirect readers to the solution pages are visually identical. Decidedly one-trick yet inspired and prettily designed. (historical note) (Picture book. 5-8)

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Starred review from January 1, 2024
Preschool-Grade 3 *Starred Review* Ink illustrations framing the page create the image of a stage with columns, proscenium arch, and decorative botanical elements as magician Lady Rabbit, in a humorous reversal, first pulls a small man out of her top hat. Next, she invites the reader to take part in the show by choosing one illustrated audience member, then turning to a specified page. The magician declares that everyone switched seats during intermission, so we must follow our chosen character to another page. One final instruction takes us to a last page, where it is revealed that Lady Rabbit has identified the one character we picked! Amazing but true, the trick has a detailed history dating back to the fifteenth century, described in an entertaining afterword. The fanciful illustrations further the impression of watching a charmingly old-fashioned show. The audience is made up of unique living or anthropomorphic creatures such as Ms. Fork, Cupcake, Shadow, Ace of Spades, Madame Butterfly, Rattlessssssnake, and Worm, among others, 36 in all. Young puzzle masters may try the trick over and over--and be satisfied every time.

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