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Rabbit Magic: A Delightful Debut Picture Book About Magic, Teamwork, and Generosity for Children
A distinctive palette and a large cast of adorable rabbits adorn a lively story told in very few words. When a magic trick goes awry, the magician M. Lapin becomes a sad rabbit while his rabbit assistant, Houdini, becomes the star of the show. After trying increasingly spectacular tricks, Houdini realizes that someone else wants and deserves the spotlight, and in his most amazing trick ever, he restores M. Lapin to his former self. Generosity and teamwork—and of course magic—take center stage in this delightful debut.
34 pages, Hardcover
First published January 10, 2017
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111 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
April 21, 2017
Rabbits and magic. What could go wrong?
April 21, 2018
So this one is a lot of fun, but I wasn't the hugest fan of the underlying subtext of how you should give up something you're really good at if it makes other people sad that they don't get the spotlight.
August 30, 2017
LOVED this! Super cute, great message, fun illustrations. I might need to buy this one.
May 5, 2020
Rabbits and Magic. What could go wrong with that?
April 10, 2023
A rabbit accidentally turns a magician into another rabbit. Hijinks ensue. A nice message about sharing the spotlight.
September 26, 2017
Sooo charming!
March 14, 2017
This definitely made me crack a smile. I loved the humor and the creativity of the story. This was a fresh take on a subject that all kids love: Magic!
February 10, 2017
The key to a great magic show is picking the right assistant. Houdini, the white rabbit, was the perfect assistant until an unfortunate magical accident which turned the magician, M. Lapin, into a rabbit. Now it was up to Houdini to carry on with the show and he got so good at it that he became a real star. But even as he created more and more elaborate magic tricks, he realized that the magician was never happy being a rabbit. It may be time for Houdini’s greatest trick of all, giving someone else a turn in the spotlight. Literally.
McLaren uses words very judiciously here, creating a picture book that is marvelously approachable for preschool audiences. The text is used just enough to keep the story flowing forward and to keep the pacing as brisk as any good magic show. There is also plenty of humor throughout the book, keeping readers entertained with rabbit antics and plenty of magic.
The illustrations are such a part of this book. Words appear sometimes as part of the pictures and other times the illustrations are telling the full story. The magic is shown with stars filling the page and transformations are depicted in stages. The style has a wonderful vintage cartoon feel that is warm and nostalgic.
A funny bunny picture book with enough action and magic to keep everyone happy. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
McLaren uses words very judiciously here, creating a picture book that is marvelously approachable for preschool audiences. The text is used just enough to keep the story flowing forward and to keep the pacing as brisk as any good magic show. There is also plenty of humor throughout the book, keeping readers entertained with rabbit antics and plenty of magic.
The illustrations are such a part of this book. Words appear sometimes as part of the pictures and other times the illustrations are telling the full story. The magic is shown with stars filling the page and transformations are depicted in stages. The style has a wonderful vintage cartoon feel that is warm and nostalgic.
A funny bunny picture book with enough action and magic to keep everyone happy. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
December 5, 2017
Summary: A magician. A bunny. A crazy switch. And an overall successful show. This is a tall tale of a magician act gone wrong, that entertains an audience.
Personal Response: I found this book a little juvenile. It wasn't very detailed and was hard to follow as I couldn't tell quite what was going on. Overall, the crazy switch up made for a comical story.
Personal Response: I found this book a little juvenile. It wasn't very detailed and was hard to follow as I couldn't tell quite what was going on. Overall, the crazy switch up made for a comical story.
January 18, 2017
Silly story about Houdini the rabbit and his magician, Monsieur Lapin. Full of fun and funny details in the illustrations. Houdini keeps the show running despite the obstacles. The adorable bunnies and their antics will keep readers turning pages to see what happens next.
July 2, 2017
Cute, cute cute!!!! Et il y a des lapins!
http://moncoinlecture.com/2017/05/mag...
http://moncoinlecture.com/2017/05/mag...
August 21, 2025
Monsieur Lapin the magician had a worthy assistant in Houdini the rabbit in this adorable picture book from Scottish author/illustrator Meg McLaren. That talented leporine fellow was a natural performer, had perfect timing, and knew how to keep the rest of the rabbit crew in check. But when he actually performed some real magic, and turned Monsieur Lapin into a rabbit himself, suddenly Houdini became the true star of the show. Enjoyable at first, this experience soured when Houdini realized he'd deprived someone else of their true calling, not to mention their true self. But could he put things right...?
Originally published in the UK as Life Is Magic, and then here in the states as Rabbit Magic, this delightful confection is the second picture book I have read and enjoyed from McLaren, following upon her Wee Unicorn . The story here is entertaining, but also has a deeper emotional undercurrent, showing that Houdini is not just talented, but also goodhearted. I read another review which described the message of this book as being one of giving up one's true calling because another person wanted the spotlight, but I think this is a misinterpretation. I think the real message is that when we've harmed another, which Houdini has done, albeit unintentionally, then we have to make things right, even if that means giving up something which gives us great pleasure. Leaving the serious themes of lighthearted bunny fantasy aside, this also featured some adorable and amusing illustrations, not just in the main part of the book, but on the colophon too! I loved how the publication information was presented in the form of a theater poster (McLaren has a degree in theater design), and some of the little details—the small print which reads "Do Not Read Small Print"—made me chuckle. All in all, this was a sweet, funny, entertaining and heartwarming little book, one I would recommend to young bunnies, young magicians, and anyone who enjoys stories about bunnies and magicians.
Originally published in the UK as Life Is Magic, and then here in the states as Rabbit Magic, this delightful confection is the second picture book I have read and enjoyed from McLaren, following upon her Wee Unicorn . The story here is entertaining, but also has a deeper emotional undercurrent, showing that Houdini is not just talented, but also goodhearted. I read another review which described the message of this book as being one of giving up one's true calling because another person wanted the spotlight, but I think this is a misinterpretation. I think the real message is that when we've harmed another, which Houdini has done, albeit unintentionally, then we have to make things right, even if that means giving up something which gives us great pleasure. Leaving the serious themes of lighthearted bunny fantasy aside, this also featured some adorable and amusing illustrations, not just in the main part of the book, but on the colophon too! I loved how the publication information was presented in the form of a theater poster (McLaren has a degree in theater design), and some of the little details—the small print which reads "Do Not Read Small Print"—made me chuckle. All in all, this was a sweet, funny, entertaining and heartwarming little book, one I would recommend to young bunnies, young magicians, and anyone who enjoys stories about bunnies and magicians.
September 6, 2017
Magician Monsieur Lapin realized that a successful show depends on the right assistant. He ultimately selects Houdini the rabbit, who proves to be a stellar choice. Houdini “took care of…everything.” But one night Monsieur Lapin slips on a banana peel, and Houdini steps in to salvage the show. By sheer accident, Houdini turns the magician into a rabbit, thereby switching roles of magician and helper. Houdini increasingly embraces the starring role, and soon rabbit Lapin and even the other rabbit assistants grow increasingly unhappy with their new star. But ultimately Houdini tires of stardom and schemes with the others to perform his greatest trick – he turns Rabbit Lapin back into Monsieur Lapin. Visual sequences effectively propel the story’s plotline. End papers (opening ones depict a deck of playing cards with the magician as the king; closing endpapers include the rabbit as Ace/Joker), title page (presented as a lit marquee billing the show), and double-spreads all signal a notably well-done book design. (Age: 5+)
Annotation for The White Ravens 2017
Annotation for The White Ravens 2017
January 25, 2017
Houdini the rabbit is a great asset to his magician friend, Monsieur Lapin. He is a natural performer and he takes care of all the other buns in the show. When Monsieur Lapin takes a spill, Houdini acts to ensure that the show will go on and accidentally transforms the human magician into a rabbit. Oh no! They can’t figure out how to change him back, so Houdini headlines his own show for a while and becomes quite popular. But he starts to miss his former life, so, once again he attempts the transformation trick to change Monsieur back – this time it works! And buns AND magician are happy again. It’s great how Monsieur Lapin makes allowances for all kinds of rabbits in his crew – from star performers to those who enjoy working behind the scenes. You also NEVER see a rabbit grabbed by its ears and extracted from a hat. Adorable buns of all sizes hop through the cheerfully illustrated pages and will delight readers with their antics. Fun for buns and wee ones!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2017
For fans of magic (and adorable bunny rabbits) Meg McLaren’s debut picture book, Rabbit Magic, is sure to enthrall. Reminiscent of the Pixar short film “Presto”, there is plenty to love here as famous magician Monsieur Lapin and his troupe of rabbits put on crowd-pleasing magic shows. One bunny in particular named Houdini is a natural-born performer, and winds up unintentionally stealing the show. Lapin, Houdini and the rest of the rabbit ensemble resolve this predicament in an exceedingly satisfying conclusion readers are sure to enjoy. This title is a recommended addition for most library collections and for magic-themed storytimes.
October 24, 2017
Life is Magic is a beautifully illustrated story that's full of warmth and fun with the moral of sharing making this ideal for grown ups and little ones alike. The main thing that I love about this book is just how lovely the illustrations are and all the little details throughout, as well as my favourite publication info page ever. I can't wait to see what Meg McLaren does next as this one is a real treasure!
March 16, 2018
Best thing of the book--illustrations! So CUTE! Funny. And much action to follow to see what the little bunnies are up to. I enjoyed it a great deal. The story itself was good. A nice ending with (to me) an unexpected lesson in it. The only downside is it might be a bit too detailed to share in storytime. They would miss so much in the pictures, and some of the parts of the story are conveyed in the pictures and not the text. Will think on it.
July 31, 2021
This was fairly cute--the plump rabbits were cute, and it's fun to look at all the personalities in the different rabbits. I'm not sure I 100% followed the trajectory of the story--I thought it would be about becoming the best rabbit assistant ever, not a rabbit instead taking over the show. Sometimes it's hard to follow the sequence of events from one panel to the next. The ending where they all become magicians was pretty darn cute, though!
March 24, 2018
Creative story with beautiful illustrations. The key to a good magic act is the right assistant and Houdini the rabbit is the best assistant you can have. He helps out before the show getting everything ready and deals with problems as they arise. hen something goes wrong with one of the shows, he steps into the breach...and then things get even worse!
A fun story that any rabbit fans will enjoy!
A fun story that any rabbit fans will enjoy!
May 31, 2018
Fun twist of a story when the rabbits from the magician's magic trick take over the show and things happen to the magician and the planned show. Houdini, the rabbit, becomes the magician now. Children can discover the illustrations and count and look at what each rabbit is doing in this show. And the ending circles back to where it started.
April 18, 2019
I'm a sucker for magicians, so this book called to me while selecting materials for a bunny-themed storytime. This book is definitely a story for a more intimate setting over a storytime -- the pictures can be a little small. But, it's absolutely adorable.
Houdini the rabbit takes up the mantle of magician when the act goes awry one night. He ends up accidentally turning the magician into a bunny. Houdini suddenly becomes the star and leaves behind tending to his fellow bunnies to the depressed magician. But with time, Houdini recognizes that the right thing to do is to help the magician become human again. The ending comes full-circle with a sweet message about sacrificing for other's happiness. Ayn Rand would hate themes, and to me that really makes a book worth appreciating.
Houdini the rabbit takes up the mantle of magician when the act goes awry one night. He ends up accidentally turning the magician into a bunny. Houdini suddenly becomes the star and leaves behind tending to his fellow bunnies to the depressed magician. But with time, Houdini recognizes that the right thing to do is to help the magician become human again. The ending comes full-circle with a sweet message about sacrificing for other's happiness. Ayn Rand would hate themes, and to me that really makes a book worth appreciating.
December 8, 2021
I thought this book was cute. It was really well laid out and I like that it showed that the main rabbit had realized that their magician needed the spotlight more and they were able to work hard to find a way to fix their mistake. It was a cute book, but I don't know if I would put it in my classroom.
June 24, 2019
A magician is looking for a new assistant, and finds Houdini the rabbit. Houdini is such a good assistant, he is able to carry on the show one night when things are going wrong.
A silly and fun picture book. Cute artwork. Good for magic loving kids.
A silly and fun picture book. Cute artwork. Good for magic loving kids.
August 17, 2020
This is a story of a rabbit named Houdini who accidentally turns his master (or the magician) into a rabbit. In the end he is able to bring back the magician but in the meantime he carried the show and did the magic acts.
April 20, 2024
Aww, this was a really good one! A magician has many rabbits, but none as talented as Houdini. But when Houdini accidentally turns the magician into a rabbit, unexpected things happen. Funny and meaningful with good pictures to boot.
April 17, 2025
A rabbit turns his magician into a rabbit, takes over the show, and gives it back to him when it doesn't excite him anymore.
An... interesting idea? (I thought it would be the rabbit's view of magic showd.) I wouldn't read it again. But you might like it!
An... interesting idea? (I thought it would be the rabbit's view of magic showd.) I wouldn't read it again. But you might like it!
March 10, 2017
Super cute story, with a positive message. The kids will love this book for preschool storytime.
March 16, 2017
Adorable! And "Monsieur Lapin"...hahahaha. Loved the illustrations.
March 24, 2017
Great illustrations and an interesting concept. I would have liked to have seen "more" to the story. Perhaps a longer novel (for beginning and/or up to 3rd grade readers) is required?
May 4, 2017
Cute picture book with good illustrations and an interesting story. I found it delightful.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews