Anything But Ordinary Addie: The True Story of Adelaide Herrmann, Queen of Magic - Hardcover

Rockliff, Mara

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0763668419 ISBN 13: 9780763668419

Publisher: Candlewick, 2016

Synopsis

Be astonished and dazzled by the true story of Adelaide Herrmann, the Queen of Magic!

Some girls are perfectly happy never doing anything out of the ordinary. But Addie was anything but ordinary. She longed for thrills and excitement! At a time when a young lady appearing onstage was considered most unusual, Addie defied convention and became a dancer. And when she married the world-famous magician Herrmann the Great, she knew she had to be part of his show. Addie wanted to shock and dazzle! She would do anything to draw the crowds, even agree to be shot out of a cannon. But when Herrmann the Great died, Addie couldn’t disappoint her loyal fans — the show had to go on. What could she do? She would perform the show all by herself! From the creators of Mesmerized, this rollicking romp tells the true story of one fearless magician’s rise to glory, featuring exquisitely lavish illustrations by Iacopo Bruno. Extensive back matter, including instructions for performing one of Addie’s original tricks, makes this a dazzling celebration of one of the first female conjurers in show business.

About this title

About the Author

Mara Rockliff is the author of many books for children, including Mesmerized, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno, and the Golden Kite Award winner Me and Momma and Big John, illustrated by William Low. Mara Rockliff lives in eastern Pennsylvania.

Iacopo Bruno is a graphic designer and the illustrator of Mesmerized. He lives in Milan, Italy.

Reviews

Gr 2–5—From the team responsible for Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery That Baffled All of France (Candlewick, 2015) comes another excellent picture book biography, this time about someone less well known but truly intriguing. Adelaide Herrmann (1853–1932) never wanted to be like other girls: she was determined to stand out and dazzle the world. She secretly joined a dancing troupe, scandalizing family and friends. When that got old, the young woman learned to ride a bicycle, which eventually led to her meeting and marrying Alexander Herrmann, aka Herrmann the Great, a famous magician. Addie began working as Alexander's assistant and took over the act when he died. Life was never ordinary again. Rockliff tells Addie's story with panache, the words bouncing across the page, with varying sizes and typefaces to highlight and emphasize important ideas. Bruno's pencil and digitally colored illustrations are a homage to another time, with individuals and scenes made to look like cutout paper dolls and layered onto backgrounds. A detailed author's note provides further details about Herrmann's life and story, which was lost to the world for a long time. VERDICT Picture book biographies about groundbreaking women are always welcome, and this one is sure to please readers, young and old.—Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA

Edition details

• Publisher: Candlewick
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0763668419
• ISBN 13: 9780763668419
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 48
• Illustrator: Bruno Iacopo