Harry Houdini

This series is always a joy to read, it’s a really nice introduction to well known people for little children. Of course the plot is always a little bit fast but that’s to be expected and it’s totally understandable.
This one is about the very famous illusionist and escape artist Houdini and shows how he became the person we all know today. I'm sure everyone will be fascinated by his magic.

Harry Houdini! No one can bind him! He escapes every trap!

I admit I did not know that he apprenticed as a locksmith, where he learned the basis all of his tricks would later rest on, so again, this picture book series intended for toddlers taught me something.
Regrettably, this did not mention how he investigated fradulent spiritualists, but hey, it's a short one. There is not much space and Houdini did a lot of things. It makes sense to concentrate on his career on the stage.

Colourful pictures, but not my favourite style of illustrations from all I've seen from the little people BIG DREAMS series so far.

Again, after the main story we have a timeline with important events from the life of the person discussed in this installment, if the short rendition was not enough for you. I really like the diversity in people they choose for this series.

The arc was provided by the publisher.

Another fine book by Little People, BIG DREAMS!

Everyone knows about Harry Houdini the performer, but few know about his humble beginnings. Children will learn that the Jewish boy they know as Houdini was born in Budapest, Hungary and his name was Ehrich Weisz. They’ll be shocked to learn about his big family and even more shocked to find out that when the Weisz’s moved to Wisconsin, USA when Ehrich was 4, they couldn’t afford to send him to school! He wandered the streets and learned from the acrobats and magicians and came home to practice!

When he grew up he got a day job as a locksmith and spent hours picking locks. He then used that knowledge to perform at night as an escape artist. He changed his name to Harry Houdini and toured the world sharing his amazing feats.

Children are always mesmerized by his talent as an escape artist and reading this story with them will inspire conversation about limits and illusions. Houdini believed that limits are just an illusion and that life is really magic. I think the positive message that children will remember is that oftentimes when we think something is impossible, with practice, it can be possible.

Juliana Vido’s stylish and quirky drawings will fascinate children. Books like this tend to be read and re-read night after night and Vido’s use of layering with bright bold colours will continue to hold children’s attention. Each time they look at the incredibly detailed pages, they’ll find something new. It adds to the rewarding reading experience.

Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara always knows exactly how much information to put on each page. Reluctant readers feel a sense of accomplishment at finishing “a whole book” because Vegara has condensed the need-to-know information into little chunks. The more confident readers will love the timeline with additional information at the back of the book.

For those who love to travel, this book reminds children to stop in at The House of Houdini if they are ever in Budapest, Hungary.

I was gifted this advance copy by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Quarto Publishing Group, Frances Lincoln Children's Books, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The My First Little People, Big Dreams series provides informative and inspirational biographies about people who left a mark on this earth, no matter what difficulties they have encountered.
These stories are very short, but that's because they're books for children, so it's totally understandable.
I think they are a very smart and wonderful way to introduce little children to such important figures.
This little one here is about Harry Houdini, one of the most famous entertainers ever. He's widely known for his tricks, especially the eschatological ones. The greatest message is that limits are just an illusion and that life truly is full of magic.

Thanks for another Excellent Little People Big Dreams book! This time it was to learn about Harry Houdini. An amazing book about an amazing man. Even though these books are geared towards children and I will be reading them with my grands, I always find that I learn something as well! Always informative, beautifully illustrated, and each book includes a timeline. Such a fantastic series! Even though I've been reading digital copies, I've enjoyed them so much I've actually ordered several hard copies to add to my library. Great series!

Thank you for letting me read the book.
I’ve reached for this title because I’m familiar with other books from this series. I’ve read it with my 2-year-old and we both liked it a lot.
The book tells us a story about how Great Houdini was born, it’s easy to read and short, just 2-3 sentences on every page, perfect for kids who can’t concentrate on something for too long. Most importantly, there are beautiful illustrations. They are colorful, vibrant, and clear, perfect for a kid's book. I was amazed at how detailed every page is, not only there was action in the foreground but also middle distance. I liked way better pictures here than in a book about Frida Kahlo, where a character was just a cream-colored blob with some characteristic features like flowers or eyebrows.
I’m glad that I’ve read this book with my daughter, definitely will think about buying a paper copy for myself or as a gift.

A book about the great Harry Houdini, beginning with how he started out as a trapeze performer, then learning how to do illusions/magic. Here he discovers his love for performing in front of an audience.

A wonderful read, with artwork which caught my eye; they were so beautifully made! I enjoyed learning about Houdini, his upbringing, and how he learned to love performing. He really is inspiring to follow your dreams, and it was a really inspiring story to read.

I’d recommend it!

Harry Houdini is the newest lead in this latest edition of the Little People, BIG DREAMS series by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara. This series is such a delight and the perfect way to educate not just kids but everyone about historic and cultural icons.

Harry Houdini was was a Hungarian-American escape artist, illusionist, stunt performer and mysteriarch, noted for his escape acts. The book follows Houdini as he first proclaims himself the "Prince of the Air" to becoming known around the world as the Handcuff King.

Juliana Vido illustrates this installment and does a fantastic job. Vido's art style was so captivating and her art definitely further helped tell Houdini's story. I love collecting these books and am so thrilled to add this one to the rest of my collection.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Little people, BIG DREAMS! This one was another cute read from NetGalley. I had no idea that Houdini spent his entire life after 4 years old in the US. I love reading the evolution of how he came to love magic and by working at a locksmith he created some of the most fascinating tricks with locks that still remain a mystery.

PS - once you read it you'll be wondering where that elephant went too.

me at age 6: wow, Harry Houdini is so cool
me at age 29: wow, Harry Houdini is so cool !!!

**I received a digital copy from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.***

It is great to read something to a young mind and learn something yourself as an adult. The series Little People, Big Dreams by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara does that and for that I am grateful. I had no idea of the life of Harry Houdini and it was so unexpected but interesting and it was a fun read to share with my young one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an e-ARC for an honest review.

I still love continuing reading the Little People, Big Dreams series. I think Harry Houdini was such a fascinating person. How he came to the United States at four years old and had to work everyday to help his family make ends meet. Then he discovered magic and used his skill from working at a locksmith to create such a great show where he would chain himself up in front of people and then he works to unlock himself.

I just Love this little books by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, must be one of the best little books to purchase for children, these are the best-selling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

So, this latest book is about Harry Houdini is one of the latest of her books and this is so beautifully illustrated from start to end. When he was four, little Ehrich emigrated with his family from Hungary to the USA. Although they had reached a world of great opportunity, the family lived in poverty and Ehrich had no choice but to go to work from a young age. When he was just nine, Ehrich worked as a trapeze artist, and this experience led him into a life of entertainment. As he grew older, Ehrich continued to play to audiences with fascinating card tricks. But when working as a locksmith by day and honing his magic skills at night, Ehrich realized that he would need more than a deck of cards to really “wow” people... and so, the great Harry Houdini came to be. As Houdini, the escape artist who could free himself from handcuffs, chains, and knots like no one else, he toured the world and became known for his incredible death-defying stunts. This book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the entertainer’s life.

I am so glad these books are being published and I highly recommend all of these books

Many thanks to Quarto’s Frances Lincoln Children’s Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest reviewRuth Bader Ginsburg by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
(less)

The Impossible is Possible! Little Enrich from Budapest, Hungary comes with his large family to the United States. Life is quite hard to find enough employment. So, Enrich works to help his family. He has always loved magic and acrobats since he watched street performers. He started practicing himself. He also worked at a Lock Smith’s Shop so he learned how to quickly pick locks. Still,it would seem very hard to imagine that a poor child such as Enrich could become an international sensation, yet he did. He would have the local detectives tie, rope, and chain him up and he would be able to get out of anything they did so quickly. He decides to change his name to Harri Houdini after reading his favorite magician’s book by Robert Houdin.

Harry gains much attention when he does acrobatic acts while chained up. He will dive into the Sea and into freezing water. It seems as if there is no way he can possibly get out, but his trick was he already had undone the locks before he hit the water. This is so imaginative and incredible. He once made an Elephant Disappear and came out of a Shark’s Belly. He was the ultimate entertainer. He was so well known, he was even in movies. Yet, he lived by the thinking that limits are an illusion and life is really magic.

This was such an appealing book and I loved the illustrations by Juliana Vido. The colors and graphics were wild and bright, just like one would like to see on a magic performance. This would be such a great book for children who love practicing magic tricks. It is a hard world to enter and many would discourage them from trying this professionally, but they have the incredible Harri Houdini to show as an example. It keeps their dream alive. This Little People, Big Dreams book is just another fabulous addition to the series. I think it would draw many children to read it.

Thank you NetGalley, Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, and Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for an ARC of this truly beautiful book. I appreciate it so much.

I have to admit I never expected the name of Harry Houdini to turn up in this series, but it makes perfect sense – especially when you come across some biographical details for the very first time, as I did here. Needing income for his parents and six siblings when his rabbi father became unemployed (there's a mystery there, perhaps) the young chap soon learnt how to befuddle people with card tricks and then escapology, becoming the most noted magically-minded stuntman of his era. For someone who then came from nothing and whose influence is still felt a century later, it's a perfect addition to the franchise of 'you can do it, too!' young reads. The artwork really needed to be a heck of a lot better, mind – a charge that could be levelled at far too much of the shelf full of these books I've seen over the years.

This was a nice edition to the series and an interesting read. The illustrations look a lot like the other books and it covers a brief history of Harry Houdini's life. My kids enjoyed the book and were intrigued by him since he is different than most of the historical figures we read about.

Great little biography of Houdini. Covers the basic tenets of who he was and why he is significant with further information about his life in the back of the book. I would recommend this for readers between 2nd-5th grade, especially those interested in magic.

-Disclaimer: I won this book for free through Goodreads giveaways in exchange for an honest review.-

An interesting book!

It tells you the basics of Houdini's beginning. It mentions him escaping the belly of a beached whale. And surviving being buried alive. The illustrations are gaudy due to the colors chosen. They have a sketchbook style to them. Altogether, this is definitely different from the average kids' book.

This is a story about a person with a dream larger than life: Harry Houdini. He went on to accomplish amazing and death defying feats, that have been packaged in this children’s book in a family-friendly way.

The illustrations are beautiful and vibrant.

It’s an inspiring story that teaches children not only to follow their dreams, but also, their dreams don’t have to be logical, and they don’t have to be any one single thing. Harry Houdini was a magician, a locksmith, an airplane pilot. He didn’t choose one career, he followed his passions and led a full larger than life existence.

This is a great book for learning how to read, or bedtime stories, or a gift for the aspiring magician in your life.

Pre-publication: the photos at the end of the digital copy appear stretched out and not properly formatted.

I was gifted a copy of this book from @netgalley and Frances Lincoln Children's Books and Quarto Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This book is available April 12, 2022. ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The illustrations in this book are gorgeous. And the subject matter is one you don't see much in children's books. It was presented well and I think children would find this book very interesting.

I received an electronic ARC from Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books through NetGalley.
Part of the Little People, Big Dreams series of biographies.
Readers meet Ehrich as a child observing life. He has to work to help support his family and becomes fascinated by magic. His fame began as he explored magic and lock tricks. He chose his new name, Harry Houdini, in respect for a magician he admired. The book continues to share how his reputation spread and people from all over the world came to see his incredible escapes from handcuffs, chains, locks, ropes, etc.
Sanchez Vegara captures the essence of her subject's life and shares it in language and style elementary level readers can comprehend. She also includes a timeline with further informative text for those who want to learn more.I received an electronic ARC from Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books through NetGalley.
Part of the Little People, Big Dreams series of biographies.
Readers meet Ehrich as a child observing life. He has to work to help support his family and becomes fascinated by magic. His fame began as he explored magic and lock tricks. He chose his new name, Harry Houdini, in respect for a magician he admired. The book continues to share how his reputation spread and people from all over the world came to see his incredible escapes from handcuffs, chains, locks, ropes, etc.
Sanchez Vegara captures the essence of her subject's life and shares it in language and style elementary level readers can comprehend. She also includes a timeline with further informative text for those who want to learn more.

I love the Little People, Big Dreams series!

Once again, I learned something new by reading one of these books. I always new that Harry Houdini was his stage name but I never learned what his real name was until i read this book. The LPBD series, always makes it fun to learn new information about historical figures you thought you knew.

This was a good installment! I really like the color palette used by the illustrator. Here, I found the narrative a bit choppy, a little out of sequence like key history points were missing, but it is still just a picture book, so it is a good intro.

Thank you Netgalley, dear author and the publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange of honest review.

This book totally caught me off-guard! Did you know that Harry Houdini's real name is not Harry Houdini? I didn't know that's for sure. It contains so many remarkable information about this genius figure who made himself unforgettable in the history of magic and escape art. His birth name was Erik Weisz and he was born in a Jewish family in Budapest, Hungary. His family immigrated to USA when he was young and they started living in Wisconsin. After his father lost his job, their family fell into poverty. Houdini who could no longer continue education, took several jobs, observed performers on the street and learned from them. By the time he was nine, he was working as a trapeze artist! Like can you believe that? He also worked as a locksmith and spent hours picking locks which came in handy later in escape art. He shocked people all over the world performing tricks and stunts no one else would dare. He could free himself from all sorts of handcuffs and bonds, even in the most frightening conditions. None but he knew the secrets of his performances. In my opinion, the greatest magic of Houdini is the magic inside him, that enabled him to turn impossible into possible. I don't want to spoil the book, so I am not going into further details but it is truly an amazing read. There's so much more to know and I really really hope everyone will read this book. The illustrations were fantastic. I was getting boss baby vibes from Houdini. Well, he was the boss. Highly recommend it.

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Little People, BIG DREAMS series are excellent biographies for children, and Harry Houdini was no exception! The illustrations were vibrant and fun, but didn’t distract from the text. I enjoyed the added timeline at the end with photographs. Would recommend to parents of young children.

An informative and easy-to-understand book recounting the life of Harry Houdini and how he rose to fame. Would be a great addition to any classroom’s collection on famous people as I believe many students will find his life interesting!

We love these books. There’s so much information and all age appropriate.

My son loves magic so it was amazing to read about Harry Houdini. I’ve known about him my whole life and there was information in here I didn’t know.

These books are wonderful to introduce your younger children about really important people.

A little boy who emigrated to the US with his family when he was little, then worked in his youth to help the big family survive as a trapeze artist, Houdini then learn to pick locks, and use it for his magic tricks. Harry proofs that nothing is impossible to do when you have the motivation to do it.

This was a fascinating Little People, Big Dreams. I knew nothing about Harry Houdini and this book was a great intro. While his tricks were impressive, I found the piece about training soldiers to learn how to escape being handcuffed to be the best part! What a nice way to use your skills to help others. This is my favorite series of child biographies. I buy them for gifts all the time and I know this one will be another one I purchase!

A picture book biography of escape artist and illusionist, Harry Houdini. The book outlines his immigration to America at a young age, the different jobs he held to help his family make it, and how he eventually rose to fame for his escape tricks and illusions.

There were some interesting tidbits in here about Houdini’s life I had never heard before, such as how he helped train soldiers in WWI how to escape from restraints if captured. This book completely focused on Houdini’s family and occupations, with the climax being how he became world famous. An introductory biography of the famous magician that I found much more interesting than I expected. Recommended for curious readers and libraries needing more biographies about immigrants and people in the arts.

No content issues [based on the ARC].

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Here is the latest in a series that is designed to painlessly educate and engage young children through telling the stories of well-known adults who, of course, were once children themselves. Each title in this series includes simple text, good illustrations and back sections with extra resources.

This time the little person with a big dream is young Harry who grew up to be an amazing magician and escape artist. Children follow him from his time as an immigrant to America named Ehrich, through a career that included performing for royalty and teaching American soldiers in WWII how to escape restraints. Still…be sure the child that reads this knows not to try Houdini’s stunts themselves!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto-Frances Lincoln’s Children’s Books for this title. All opinions are my own.