• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

A true magician never reveals their secrets or takes "you can't" as an answer.

Fourteen-year-old Kylie really wants to be a part of the magician’s showcase. The problem is, the director has already decided that, because she’s a girl, Kylie would be better off assisting a magician rather than doing her own routine. Determined to prove him wrong, Kylie decides to team up with her friend Min to secure a spot in the show. But while working on their act, Kylie loses sight of what it means to be a good friend. Tired of being mistreated, Min leaves and teams up with another magician. Will Kylie and Min make up in time to bring their act to the stage?

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

Raised in Morinville—a small town north of Edmonton, Alberta—Marty Chan is a playwright, radio writer, television story editor, and young adult author. Marty graduated from the University of Alberta in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree (English major/drama minor). He fell into improv comedy when he joined Edmonton Theatresports, but his paralyzing stage fright resulted in ”penguin arm“ acting, forcing him to abandon performing and take up writing. His signature play, Mom, Dad, I’m Living With A White Girl, has been produced across Canada, published three times, and broadcast as a radio drama. The stage play won an Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award for Best New Work and the Adams Chinese Theatre Award at Harvard University. In October 2004, the play had a successful Off Broadway run in New York. Marty was a regular contributor to CBC Radio Edmonton from 1994 to 2000. His weekly commentary series, ”The Dim Sum Diaries,“ recounted his misadventures as the only Chinese kid in a small prairie town. These weekly commentaries were adapted into a half-hour television program (The Orange Seed Myth) which won a Gold Medal for Best Television Pilot at the Charleston World Film and Television Festival, and earned Marty a Gemini nomination for best writing in a children’s program. In 2004, Thistledown Press launched Marty’s first young adult novel, The Mystery of the Frozen Brains, which has become a hit with young readers across Canada. Resource Links magazine rated listed it as one of the Best Books of 2004 for grades 3 to 6. Marty was the first playwright in residence at the Citadel Theatre. He also served as the chair of the Edmonton Arts Council and taught playwriting at the U of A. He received an Arts Achievement Award and a Performance Award from the City of Edmonton. He also earned a Horizon Award from the university for his contributions to theatre. Currently, Marty resides in Edmonton with his wife Michelle and their two cats, Buddy and Max.

Marty Chan's profile page

• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens

“Chan writes about more than just a couple of 14-year-olds who want to be magicians. He also writes about family, and friendship…A must-read.”

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

“Chan deftly turns the everyday tensions of friendship issues and the magic show into a fast-moving plot without veering into melodrama...A strong choice for reluctant readers who are looking for an accessible, realistic read about friendship and working through differences.”

School Library Journal (SLJ)