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dphillips's review against another edition
3.0
One of the many joys of being a parent is assembling a bookshelf of ones favorite classics as well as checking out all the wonderful new material being written for children today. I picked this out & won it via the first-reads giveaway. It is too advanced in subject matter for my 4 & 6yr old boys but I'm going to happily add it to their shelves. "To whom much is given, much is expected." is one of my favorite lines from the book & is just one of the many important messages the book has to impart. The "10 rules" followed in writing this book defintely created a fun read any kid would enjoy.
aliciajoy's review against another edition
1.0
First, I have not read the whole book--this review is based on whether or not it's a good choice for younger readers.
I checked this book out from the library for my kids, who are 8 and 7. My impression was that it was appropriate from about age 8 and up. The title of the second (third?) chapter is something like "Swearing and Sex." I had flipped through the book a little bit before giving it to my son, but hadn't caught that! They immediately showed me, and as I read through the chapter I saw a list of swear words (not really bad ones, but definitely not what I was expecting to see in a middle reader-level book), and then some comments about explicit sex. The narrator is talking about how the kids aren't supposed to write about "explicit sex," but that wasn't a problem because they weren't having explicit sex, or any sex, and mostly aren't really comfortable talking about sex at all...Yikes!!! Clearly this wasn't an appropriate book for my kids, at least at this time. I don't want any discussion about any kind of sex in any book they are reading right now, even if it's in this context.
The rest of the book may be great--it's too bad it's being marketed to the younger set. I'm very disappointed because it looks like a fun story, and it's really hard to find a book for middle-reader boys that isn't Captain Underpants! But we'll keep trying.
I checked this book out from the library for my kids, who are 8 and 7. My impression was that it was appropriate from about age 8 and up. The title of the second (third?) chapter is something like "Swearing and Sex." I had flipped through the book a little bit before giving it to my son, but hadn't caught that! They immediately showed me, and as I read through the chapter I saw a list of swear words (not really bad ones, but definitely not what I was expecting to see in a middle reader-level book), and then some comments about explicit sex. The narrator is talking about how the kids aren't supposed to write about "explicit sex," but that wasn't a problem because they weren't having explicit sex, or any sex, and mostly aren't really comfortable talking about sex at all...Yikes!!! Clearly this wasn't an appropriate book for my kids, at least at this time. I don't want any discussion about any kind of sex in any book they are reading right now, even if it's in this context.
The rest of the book may be great--it's too bad it's being marketed to the younger set. I'm very disappointed because it looks like a fun story, and it's really hard to find a book for middle-reader boys that isn't Captain Underpants! But we'll keep trying.
kellyjcm's review against another edition
3.0
Satisfying, quick read. The story has heart, though it felt at times like the author was trying too hard.
slpblue's review against another edition
4.0
This is the perfect book to recommend to my eighth grade students! They’re very reluctant readers, and this is a light, fun book that feels grown up (the narrator censors the cussing because “you don’t cuss in kid’s books” but he also says that you can replace them with the real words in your head; one of the characters drinks alcohol; characters discuss the effects of war on veterans; etc.) and like you read something important. I’m going to push this hard on my boys next year who don’t read much.
michelle_neuwirth_gray9311's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this story. It was very timely with John dealing with his older brother being shipped to Iraq as a Marine. I enjoyed the way the characters grew and changed.
omnibozo22's review against another edition
5.0
Despite having almost nothing about magic in it, this was an engaging story of kids in difficult social positions bonding to improve their lives. John Smith, after hearing an author speak at his school (sounds like a middle school or junior high), decides to write a novel. As well as the encouragement of the speaker, Smith avidly reads about Harry Houdini and frequently refers to his works as inspiration for solving his writing and life problems.
Young magicians will learn no "magic" tricks in this book, but the family stories and the fortitude of John Smith will be sufficiently instructive to make the book worthwhile.
Young magicians will learn no "magic" tricks in this book, but the family stories and the fortitude of John Smith will be sufficiently instructive to make the book worthwhile.
shanbear16's review against another edition
2.0
The best part about this book for me was the Providence setting. However, that's not enough to really get me into this book. It read a lot like young adult fiction from the 80s does. It's slice of life with no real plot to it. Even the premise of the book, which is that John Smith AKA Houdini wants to be a writer so he's writing what he knows doesn't seem to carry through the entire book. The story he does tell isn't that compelling to me although I can see how this book can be used to address having a family member at war and having them come back changed. Overall it just felt aimless and plotless.
nikkibd4033's review
4.0
John Smith, Jr. is obsessed with Harry Houdini. So much so that his friends nickname him Houdini, which you have to admit is a better name than the very boring John Smith. Houdini lives in a poor neighborhood in East Providence, where his parents worry about money, Houdini worries about local bully Angel Dmitri, and they all worry about Houdini’s older brother Franklin, a marine serving in Iraq. When a kids’ book writer visits his school, he gives Houdini some good advice, and Houdini works through all of these worries by trying to complete a novel about his life.
Houdini is a middle-grade novel with a lot of heart. The emotions of a thirteen year old with a lot on his mind are spot-on. In its scant 166 pages, a lot is going on, and there is surprising depth and development of characters. There are times when you aren’t sure the boys in this novel (Houdini and his two best friends Lucky and Jorge) are ever going to learn to do the right thing. But Franklin makes his return, and though he is damaged he is absolutely the emotional core of this novel.
One of the better middle grade books out there.
Houdini is a middle-grade novel with a lot of heart. The emotions of a thirteen year old with a lot on his mind are spot-on. In its scant 166 pages, a lot is going on, and there is surprising depth and development of characters. There are times when you aren’t sure the boys in this novel (Houdini and his two best friends Lucky and Jorge) are ever going to learn to do the right thing. But Franklin makes his return, and though he is damaged he is absolutely the emotional core of this novel.
One of the better middle grade books out there.
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