Hercules Quick's big bag of tricks by Ursula Dubosarsky. Illus. by Andrew Joyner

In a quirky three-storey building lives an intriguing community of animals and the endearing boy Hercules Quick. A desire to earn enough money to buy a box of Magic Tricks from the local toy store leads Hercules to advertise himself for jobs. (Not quite ‘bobs-for-jobs’ … but rather the incredibly small 10c for each job done.) The tasks he is engaged in are strangely amusing. His house does include a family of Elks, an octopus, two turtle siblings and a strangely mysterious maybe-arachnid who lives in the basement, as well as the alligator who is Hercules’ Aunt. In this collection of three books, there are amusing moments as Hercules works hard to raise the funds for his Magic Box.

This book is a compilation of three previously published books for young independent readers and is just eccentric fun. At the end of each book is a single, simple magic trick for readers to attempt. This book will intrigue readers aged 6-8, who will also like Joyner’s black and white illustrations in his usual naïve style. The trusting and innocent demeanour of Hercules and his desire to earn some money and his friendship with a maturing tadpole/frog will  engage young readers, or their significant adults who share this book with them.

Themes: Magic tricks, Pocket money, Friends.

Carolyn Hull