Vanished: Seven Women ­Magicians Who Simply Disappeared

Gr 4-7–This collected biography highlights the lives of seven little-known women who practiced magic, then disappeared from history. The title may lead some kids to believe the women literally vanished, but the stories are still engaging and will delight young readers. The women profiled include a medium, an escape artist, and a woman with superhuman strength. All the subjects profiled were born in either the United States or Europe. Within the biographical description for each figure, there is a dedicated section highlighting specific tricks she performed. Though detailed descriptions of the setup and procedure are provided for each act, the magicians’ secrecy is preserved (a magician never reveals her tricks, after all). Photos of the performers, playbills, and newspaper clippings are peppered throughout each chapter with a larger collection of these items at the end of each chapter. The descriptions of the women are detailed but never bog down readers with shorter attention spans. The content and amount of information is age appropriate. This book will delight young magicians or any readers interested in mysterious history.