In Mathemagic!, veteran math educator Lynda Colgan offers up some entertaining number-themed tricks that young readers will have hours of fun performing, and which require only simple props like dice and beans, some basic math concepts, and an excellent imagination.

Brought to life by Jane Kurisu's charming illustration, these tricks will likely provoke more than a few “how the heck did you do that?” reactions from friends and classmates. Each trick – whether based on simple multiplication or binary numbers – gets a thorough, step-by-step demonstration, followed by an explanation on the next page.

Colgan also looks at some of the history behind these tricks – one dates back to Ancient Egypt, for example, while another was first described by Leonardo da Vinci. And the book provides sidebar tips on how to choose a good assistant, how to “play” an audience for maximum suspense, and more.

Hardcore math students will not find much to help them in this book. But any young reader looking to have some fun with what can sometimes be a dry subject will enjoy the lighthearted tone and look of Mathemagic!.