Joe Strong, the Boy Wizard; or, The Mysteries of Magic Exposed

Orphaned at five, Joe Strong grows up in the only home he knows: a traveling circus. His mother rode trick horses, his father performed magic, and young Joe inherits both their gifts. He can ride any horse, juggle anything, climb any building, and when he turns his hand to his father's profession, he discovers he has a remarkable talent for illusion. But this isn't a book about real magic. It's about the tricks behind the tricks, the sleight of hand and misdirection that make audiences gasp. As Joe navigates the colorful, dangerous world of the circus tent, he must also navigate friendship, rivalry, and the slow discovery of who he wants to become. The magic here is the old-fashioned kind: the kind you can learn, practice, and master through patience and nerve. For readers who have ever watched a magician perform and thought, "How did they do that?" this book offers answers and adventure in equal measure.