Houdini's Library

How Books Created the World's Greatest Magician

A TRUE TALE WITH

A CHERRY ON TOP

Knopf Books for Young Readers

(pub. 2.17.2026)

48 pages

Ages 4 - 8

Author: Barb Rosenstock

   Illustrator: Mar Delmar

Character: Harry Houdini

Overview:

" Houdini is the world's most beloved magician, and he became famous for all of the amazing tricks he accomplished. Houdini knew just how to captivate his audience, whether it was leaping from a bridge or freeing himself from a straitjacket. But in true magician's fashion, he kept a secret so great that not many people knew about, and that was his love for books!

As a young boy in Budapest, Harry learned to read at his father's knee. After the family emigrated to America, Harry grew up to be the amazing Houdini--but never lost his love of reading. He spent the rest of his life collecting all kinds of rare and unusual books, almost entirely about magic."

Tantalizing taste:

"Almost everyone knows Houdini - the most famous magician on earth. Few know about his books. Harry hides parts of himself like he hides lockpicks between his fingers.

The public thinks Houdini is American-born, well-educated, and a natural magician. But real magic is not that simple. For Harry, it began with books ...

... Books are Harry's greatest escape. They spark imagination.

They bring the past to life.

They make home feel like home.

Books transformed a poor, unknown boy into the great Houdini - collector, researcher, student, showman - the world's favorite magic maker."

And something more: Barb Rosenstock shared in the Author's Note: "Book collecting was an unusal hobby for a man with little formal education. From Houdini's perspective, he was following family tradition: 'We have records for five generations that my direct fore-fathers were students and teachers of the Bible and recognied among the leading bibliographers of their time.'

...His highly educated father, Rabbi Mayer Weisz, studied law and wrote essays and poems. When asked to name his favorite author, Houdini answered, 'My dad.'"

In the acknowledgments, Barb included: "And thanks to fellow author Sarah Aronson for insisting on 'magic.'" Thanks for the magic both of you, Barb and Sarah, create in books for children!