Remember those Old Donald Duck pocket-books that was colored on every other page spread?

Espen, welcome to the Magic Café;

Are you looking for information on the book, to buy a book, or do you have a book to sell?

I would like to suggest you check out this unique coloring book type effect from Japan. It produces candy! It has Mickey Mouse on it.


http://www.seomagic-usa.com/catalog/prod......s_id/462

I recently found a stage sized book (11x17)! It was the first trick I had ever seen as a kid, and spurred my interest in magic. Now, I include it in every show as a tribute to the magiciand who first showed it to me!

Coloring book is one of the best tricks ever. I have a six minute routine built around flipping pages, what more could you ask for?

Posted: May 2, 2011 1:20am
Candy coloring book... Hmmm. Look like it's well made but I really think the kids will scream for you to turn the book around, even with the missing candy on the pages. Plus, they'll possibly loose track of the trick sequence once they see the candy. Kind of ends with a thud after the candy appears don'tcha think? How could this be done where the candy appears at the end? Ideas?

I agree with you, Chad. Sometimes we can "improve" an effect to the point that it no longer works well.

For me the question is what do you do with the candy once you produce it. I'd suggest that you not give it out during the show. In my experience, that would distract them from whatever your next trick would be. I'm not so sure about producing candy to tempt them but then not give it to them. If it was at the end of the show, you could give it to them. Then again, I don't see just this trick as demonstrated as being a strong enough effect as a finale.

I have used this effect at Kids Birthday parties with great success - sometimes as magicians we overthink or overanalyze.

You are producing several magical effects with this and young children are amazed and best of all entertained!

Caveat - I only use it with the 5 or so or younger crowd

So do you produce candy from a coloring book?

Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of the coloring book and use it in all my shows up to about 3rd grade. I still just don't see how candy could ever improve the trick... in fact, I don't see how giving out candy at a magic show is ever a good idea. Here is another post on Candy that's interesting:

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=17

Chad--didn't read the article yet, so I don't know if this is covered, but I'll put in my 2 cents worth on this.

I am a diabetic. I wasn't diagnosed until age 23, so I got to have a "normal" life as a kid with candy, cake, etc (health foods, all!).

However, a young child that has diabetes (unless they were diagnosed at a VERY young age) very often feel "left out", "weird" or "abnormal". Producing and presenting candy at a kid's magic show could very well lead to that child feeling REALLY bad. This is especially dangerous if it happens to be the birthday kid that is diabetic.

Talk about a quick way to get NO referrals.

A Coloring Book I wish I could find was offered in a Steven's catalog years ago called the "Scribble Coloring Book".
It was put out by a guy named Baffling Bill.

Hadn't heard of that one, Gician...perhaps some of the others here will be able to guide you. Did you try doing a Google search?

Ok so the last 3 shows I performed, a good portion of the audience in all 3 shows yelled that they know how the coloring book trick is done and most of them said that they have it. Any suggestions other than taking it out, I have a multiphase routine I use it in and I close with it and it would be a shame for me not to be able to use it anymore. Usually I can deal with the random person that has it or knows it but to have alomost 10% of the audience in 3 back to back shows is a little much.

I have had a lot of kids shout out they know how this trick is done (because they have seen it before, they assume they know the trick). That doesn't detract from the effect though for the majority who have never seen it. I begin my routine by pulling out my blank book and asking my last helper to do me a favor by showing some nice colored pictures to the rest of the audience. I say that I am going to be getting my next trick ready. --I use this time to fold up my mirror flower boxes that I just pulled out of a paper bag. I start getting some comments about no pictures. I pretend I can't hear them so well, and continue rummaging in my suitcase. Finally, I look up and ask what the problem is. I walk over and very clearly thumb through the pages. If any kids have seen this trick, they are baffled by how my assistant wasn't able to find any pictures. I apologize and say I guess we won't have any pictures and begin to return it to my suitcase. I make the switch and then say that maybe we could use magic to make them come back. At this point, when I show the pages, they are convinced that the book is truly empty. I have great reactions from this trick. On the candy point above. I agree fully that giving out candy is NOT a good idea. It is very unhealthy and even if the host would be ok with it, I believe that as performers we should be beyond reproach. I wouldn't give my kids hard candy and don't think it's a good idea to give it out wholesale at a show either.--just my 2 cents.

Sounds like an awesome routine and I know that kids say almost anything when they get excited. The problem I'm running into is that a lot of the parents are saying the same thing. A lot of the touristy magic shops around, like the ones in malls, are selling the trick to children because its a simple explaination. I worked at a houdinis for a little bit and other than the hover card, the coloring book was one of the effects we sold to people looking for something to entertain thier children. I do however also agree with the candy comment above. Giving candy is a risky descision in my book. With all the allergies out there, you don't want to give one of them something that could be hazzsrdous.

Hello,
Instead of candy, you can come up with alternative objects like plastic rings, pencil erasures, bouncy balls, plastic coins, etc. You get the idea. Again only to children over the age of putting the items in their mouth. You can give it to the host to pass out if you like.

Regards,
R

Hey I'm new guys but I'll put my 2 cents in on a solution to shakes problem I seen this done one time by another magician It worked great. Take a seperate magic coloring book that has the same cover as the one you perform with take the center out and put in true blank pages. Now when the child or up to two or three kids say they know how it's done simply say ok go to put it up and make a switch for the real blank one then say hey! wait a minute you guys know how this works invite them to come up front and demonstrate you take there place in the audiance mabey even act silly like a kid as you sit with the other children as they begin to look confused as they can't get it to work stand up and say that's o.k mabey its just broke,then take the book once again as if to put it away make again the switch and say wait a minute I know what the problem is I forgot to wave my magic wand over the book and say some magic words then ask the kids for a magic word one of ther choice mabey even use a believing child to say the magic words go straight to step 3 and show the pages colored shout hurray and end the trick it may shorten the routine but it might save the routine and best of all some smart kids go home really confused and totaly believing in the magic your selling. Hope this helps

That is an Amazing idea TJ... I can't believe I didn't think of this before... Thanks a bunch I'm going to include it in my next performance and try it on.. Thanks again.

Thanks for the 3 comments anyway (ha! ha!) please write back and let me know how it goes.

The fun magic coloring book from fun Inc. has a sister that is all blank. You can just order it and prove it's blank but... Why run when your not being chases? I perform 200+ birthdays every year plus another 200 shows in a theme park, all featuring my long coloring book routine. At every show (and I really mean every show) I have at least one kiddo who knows how to do it. I say "cool" watch me very carefully and I'll show you the best way to perform it. They immediately go into learning mode and have a great time. They even participate in the trick! My coloring book routine will be available for download on http://www.chadwondermagic.com in October for a few bucks. The download will include a couple of my routines for old standards.