A Miscellany of Mischief and Magic: Discover history's best hoaxes, hijinks, tricks, and illusions

Ages 7 to 11, Grades 2 to 6

A Miscellany of Mischief and Magic is a compendium of history's best hoaxes, hijinks, tricks and illusions.

Welcome all rascals and tricksters to this marvellous miscellany of mischief and magic!

This playful book explores the world of deception and trickery – both the good and the bad.

Learn the secrets of infamous magic illusions and tricks and discover the stories of some of history’s most notorious hoaxes, pranks, and cons. While some are great fun, others contain a serious lesson . . . after all, understanding scams of the past can help protect you in the future.

Meet infamous pranksters such as Marcel Duchamp (the French artist who pranked the art world), renowned illusionists and escape artists such as Adelaide Hermann (one of the first female magicians), and cunning con-artists such as George C. Parker (the American who "sold" the Statue of Liberty). 

The themed spreads explore a range of topics such as made-up monsters, alien conspiracies, doctored photos, disguises and pseudonyms, April Fool's Day pranks, and much more.

If you’re feeling mischievous, you can even follow the steps and tips spaced throughout the book to try your hand at some pranks and magic tricks of your own! But keep your wits about you, because fake hoaxes are included within the pages for eagle-eyed readers to try to spot!

Perfect for readers young and old who delight in a bit of mischief.

About the Author

Tom Adams is an award-winning television producer and author. He was born in Yorkshire but now lives in Kent, UK. With a science background, he was inspired to turn his hand to writing children’s books once his eldest son, then 5, started asking questions about how the world worked. He won the Society of Authors/ ALCS Award for Educational Writing for his book Molecule Mayhem.