Jennifer Mattson (Booklist, Aug. 1, 2006 (Vol. 102, No. 22))
Could there be anyone more qualified than Newbery Medalist Fleischman to profile the "monarch of manacles" for young audiences? After all, as described in his autobiography, The Abracadabra Kid (1998), Fleischman first earned his bread as a magician. This same background imposes an unexpected limitation: although the bibliography suggests publications to aid aspiring illusionists, Fleischman states upfront that an unspoken covenant among magicians prevents him from revealing Houdini's secrets. It's a tribute to Fleischman's zinging prose that, even without spoilers, his account remains terrifically engaging, delivered in a taut sideshow patter packed with delicious vocabulary (prestidigitator, bunkum) that may prompt even the most verbally indifferent to a new enthusiasm for their dictionaries. The showy language comes with real substance, too, as Fleischman explores his subject's tireless self-reinvention (born Ehrich Weiss in a Budapest ghetto, the ambitious lad's stage name was just one of many image-buffing ruses); his virulent egomania; and his forays into early aviation and cinema. The show-biz details are as fascinating as the transformation of an immigrant whose "biggest sleight-of-hand was himself," and, thanks to the widely spaced type and compelling visuals, this will draw even those readers without a biography assignment hovering overhead. That's some trick, indeed. Category: Books for Middle Readers--Nonfiction. 2006, Greenwillow, $18.99, $19.89. Gr. 6-9. Starred Review

Quinby Frank (Children's Literature)
Who better than Sid Fleischman, a former professional teenage magician, to write this lively and revealing Houdini biography? The book breathes new life into a well traveled, but endlessly fascinating subject. As a young magician Fleischman knew Bess Houdini personally and was privy to some unique insights into Houdini’s life. The book follows the usual chronology beginning with Houdini’s humble beginnings in Appleton, Wisconsin. It then follows him through his early struggles and failures, his marriage to Bess (his good luck charm), and his rise to fame as the greatest magician of them all. Fleischman does not minimize the magician’s overarching ego and penchant for self-aggrandizement, but emphasizes his remarkable showmanship and incredible determination. Details of Houdini’s campaign to debunk the spiritualism of his day are particularly fascinating. Full of Fleischman’s wry humor, the book is an exceptionally accessible biography. 2006, Greenwillow/HarperCollins, $18.99. Ages 10 to 14.

CCBC (Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices, 2007)
Sid Fleischman’s energetic, enthusiastic narrative style in this biography of Harry Houdini cleverly makes use of hyperbole to suggest the showmanship that had a large part to do with making Houdini famous. Fleischman describes the illusions that Houdini created both on and off the stage as he packaged his life for public consumption while carefully guarding truths he felt wouldn’t sell, or were nobody’s business. Fleischman, a fellow magician, approaches his subject with great appreciation and understanding. Occasionally inserting himself into the narrative, he makes it a point to never reveal the secrets behind Houdini’s on-stage magic, while illuminating his subject’s life with relish. The result is an engaging, informative biography with a smoke-and-mirrors feel that some readers will find irresistible. Black-and-white photographs and playbill reproductions illustrate the volume. CCBC Category: Biography and Autobiography. 2006, Greenwillow / HarperCollins, 210 pages, $18.99 and $19.89. Ages 10-14.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2006 (Vol. 74, No. 12))
It seems obvious that Fleischman, Newbery author of numerous novels involving magic, would write a biography about master magician Houdini, but it took decades before he was able to transport his personal connection and admiration into a book. Fleischman separates fiction from fact, discrepancies and contradictions of Houdini's life as skillfully as sawing a woman in half. What sets this biography apart from and above others is the author's personal involvement with his subject; it's a mesmerizing configuration of both lives. When Fleischman found a forgotten box of photos of the magician that Houdini's wife had personally given him, they ignited his curiosity-could he unveil the illusions of the great man? Cunning chapter titles, spacious format and the black-and-white photos that profile the man's unique mystique are tied together like a string of silk scarves spilling from a sleeve that fascinate, intrigue and amaze. What do you get when you put two prestidigitators, one a spellbinding escape artist, the other a magician with words, into a black hat and wave the wand? Abracadabra-a feat that's pure magic. 2006, Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 160p, $18.99. Category: Biography. Ages 9 to 14. Starred Review. © 2006 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

F. Todd Goodson (The ALAN Review, Fall 2006 (Vol. 34, No. 1))
Harry Houdini is, perhaps, America’s most enigmatic hero, and Sid Fleischman brings his considerable storytelling skills to bear in this attempt to capture his illusive subject. In Escape, Fleischman traces the journey of Ehrich Weiss, who, from the Jewish ghetto of Budapest, became the Great Harry Houdini, from Appleton, Wisconsin. Houdini was as much a social phenomenon as a performer. The details of his life say as much about the American culture in the first two decades of the 20th century as they do about the man (in no small part because, as Fleischman documents again and again, the details of his life are shrouded in mystery and outright deception). That Houdini remains a source of fascination says a great deal about our need to witness the impossible, all the while knowing it isn’t real. Escape provides today’s adolescents a glimpse at the life of the man hanging suspended in the water-filled torture cell. The book is an essential addition to secondary school libraries, and it would be an excellent text for interdisciplinary or social studies units. Category: Biography. YA--Young Adult. 2006, Greenwillow, 206 pp., $18.99. Ages young adult.Manhattan, KS

Loretta Gaffney (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, October 2006 (Vol. 60, No. 2))
Legendary escape artist Harry Houdini was a master of showmanship and thus, in many ways, his own creation, presenting a thorny challenge to biographers trying to separate myth from man. For longtime admirer and former professional magician Fleischman, the process of looking for answers among “conflicting information, rubber facts, and howling nonsense” provokes as much fascination as the elusive answers themselves. Houdini was a man of contradictions: born Ehrich Weiss in 1874, he named himself after the great French magician, Robert-Houdin, only to attack his idol’s reputation once Houdini’s own career was established. An outspoken critic of spiritualism, the then enormously popular practice of attempting to contact the dead, Houdini left a secret code word with his wife so that she could recognize him beyond the grave. A gifted escape artist, Houdini nevertheless regularly inflated his reputation by exaggerating and sometimes fabricating his exploits, doctoring his own history and even airbrushing other people out of photographs in order to keep the spotlight on himself. It’s a rare feat to explode myths and uncover unflattering truths about one’s biographical subject matter while retaining a sense of awe and admiration. Fleischman not only pulls it off but also does so with an engaging direct address, including questions, personal anecdotes, and clever asides that gives this inventive biography its fast pace and powerful voice. Fleischman’s own early experiences as a professional magician complement his sources—he knows how Houdini walked through walls and slipped out of handcuffs, but he isn’t telling. Informal and approachable captions supporting the illustrative primary source material (including newspaper clippings and photographs) are sometimes wickedly funny and other times pointedly thought-provoking, as when Fleischman puzzles over Houdini’s appearance at a Klan hall—did they not know Houdini was Jewish? Did Houdini not know of their racist views? Fleischman does the story of Houdini justice with an accessible, witty, and fascinating ride that is sure to draw in the skeptical and the admiring alike. A bibliography is appended. Review Code: R* -- Recommended. A book of special distinction. (c) Copyright 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2006, Greenwillow, 210p. illus. with photographs., $19.89 and $18.99. Grades 6-10.

Emily Gardiner (The Kutztown University Book Review, Spring 2007)
Escape” is about the great Harry Houdini. In the beginning of this book it tells you about the life of Houdini from his origins as Erich Weiss, and how he later came to be known as a famous magician. The setting is primarily in New York City. His title as a magician was challenged many times over his career. He was the king of handcuffs and marvelous escapes. His mysterious ways changed the magic world. I would recommend this book for people interested in Harry Houdini’s life. The book covers Houdini’s upbringing, how he got into magic, his career, and after his death. Many interesting pictures are included. Category: Biography.. 2006, Harper Collins, $18.99. Ages 11 up.

Pam Carlson (VOYA, June 2006 (Vol. 29, No. 2))
Many kids today may not recall the governor of their states, but the name Houdini rings a loud séance bell." Fleischman, himself a magician who met Bess Houdini, gives readers an admiring but honest portrayal of the former Ehrich Weiss. No trade secrets are revealed although more than once it is stated that most magicians of his era could duplicate his tricks, and many of today's magicians have surpassed them. It was Houdini's fearlessness and showmanship that set him far above the crowd. His passion was to be not only the best but also always the one with top billing. He could never resist a challenge and did not mind embroidering the facts when it was to his advantage. Houdini is portrayed as a man who possessed great courage, stamina, and energy along with a lifelong devotion to his mother and wife. He was often a mentor but only to magicians who posed no threat to him. Fleischman does an admirable job of depicting Houdini as a mercurial man who never settled, always questing for a new trick and a thrilling headline, throwing himself into sidelines such as flying and acting, and just as quickly abandoning them when he lost interest. The writing is fine, fluid, and engaging. Sadly most of the black-and-white photographs are grainy and unfocused. It is a beneficial book for reports or recreational reading, and the annotated bibliography is a useful plus. VOYA CODES: 3Q 2P M J S (Readable without serious defects; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2006, HarperCollins, 160p.; Photos. Biblio., $18.99. Ages 11 to 18.