Optical Illusion Play Pack

by Martin Gardner

These optical illusions have more magic than any others! That’s because this fun and visually enticing pack gives kids something The opportunity to play with the images, not just look at them. It’s created by the much-respected and prolific author Martin Gardner, who wrote the “Mathematical Games” column in Scientific American for more than a quarter of a century. Gardner’s numerous puzzle collections, as well as his expert writing on math and science, have made him a force to be reckoned with in the field. Packaged right inside the book are lots of punch-out cards that will enhance every illusion…plus a vinyl pouch for safely storing the cards afterwards. So when children try to figure out if the two differently shaped tables in a picture are actually the same size, they can see whether they’re right by laying a “checkered tablecloth” over them both. Or they can pin a colorful rainbow disk to the page, spin it, and watch the colors “disappear.” Each illusion gets an entire spread, with instructions, extra illustrations, and sometimes sidebars, too.

Hardcover

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

Martin Gardner was an American mathematics and science writer specializing in recreational mathematics, but with interests encompassing micromagic, stage magic, literature (especially the writings of Lewis Carroll), philosophy, scientific skepticism, and religion. He wrote the Mathematical Games column in Scientific American from 1956 to 1981, and published over 70 books.