A Note to Teachers, Librarians and Parents

Here are some suggestions for using Read Up On It: The Magic of Books. Parents, teachers and librarians can modify these ideas.

• Write an article or a book report on a famous magician's autobiography or biography.
• Write a fictitious interview with a character from a book.
• Find poems about magic; then write your own poem.
• Make magic items, for example, a crystal ball, wand, mirror.
• Make a list of the greatest magicians in the world.
• Create never-before-seen animals; describe their appearance, habitat, food, etc.; give them names.
• Create an image depicting the magic from a book that you have read.
• Suggest alternate titles for a book that you have read.
• Create your own magic formula and compile a book of magic formulas.
• Magic potions contest: create a magic potion and describe what it can be used for -- to transform, disappear, etc. Prizes could be awarded for the most magical or disgusting potion.
• Promote your favourite book by designing a bookmark or a postcard.
• Create an advertisement for a book that you have read.
• Read a story out loud; try to invent a continuation and then an ending.
• Mixed-up titles: match the titles to the books.
• Mixed-up summaries: match the summary to the illustration on the title page.
• Create a crossword puzzle about magic.
• Magic show: present a magic number.
• Write a secret message using invisible ink.
• The game of consequences: a magic story written by a group. Each person writes a short paragraph, hiding all of the text except for the last sentence. The next person continues, and so on…
• Hangman: use words associated with magic such as power, potion, goblins, enchanter, etc.
• A read-a-thon: the title of every book that is read by (or to) a child is written on a scale, which will be added to the dragon which keeps growing on the wall as titles are added to it.
• Pass the talisman: children sit in a circle and pass the talisman to music (find a magic item). When the music stops, the child holding the talisman is eliminated. The game continues until one player remains.
• Relay race: you need two cauldrons, two ladles and two sets of magic potion ingredients (spiders, rabbit's foot…). Form two teams; each player places an ingredient in their ladle and runs to put the ingredient into his or her cauldron. The first team to finish the potion wins.
• Present optical illusions; then create a wonder turner (thaumatrope).
• Memory game: place magic items on a tray. Give the children two minutes to study them. Cover up the objects. The children then write a list of the objects that they remember. Whoever remembers the most objects wins. This game can also be played in teams.
• Word race: write as many words beginning with the letter "M" as possible in 90 seconds.
• Scramble: write a list of magic words. Scramble the letters; the children then unscramble the words.
• Puzzle: draw a picture of a dragon, unicorn, etc.; cut it into pieces. The children can then put it back together.
• Create a rebus (express words or sentences through drawings or signs) based on the title of a book.