Anything But Ordinary Addie: The True Story of Adelaide Herrmann, Queen of Magic

I've developed a great admiration for authors and illustrators who take on biographies in the picture book format. Decisions about what to include and what not to in a format that does not encourage long-windedness. Creating an accurate picture of of a real person is such a short amount of space makes for a real balancing act. But this one, by Mara Rockliff and Iacopo Bruno was absolutely delightful. Not only is the woman an interesting one but the presentation makes for a fun read-a-loud and I adored the gorgeous illustrations.Addie proved herself an adventurous woman from the time she was a young child. She wanted to "astonish, shock, and dazzle." And she spent her life doing exactly that. Even before she married a world famous magician, Addie loved to put on a show whether it was dancing, riding a bike or anything else she could come up with. She loved doing magic with her husband, except for that dangerous bullet-catching trick. But when her husband unexpectedly dies, Addie steps forward to help the troupe survive. But who would come see a woman magician? Unless that woman magician were to perform the bullet-catching trick.Bruno's gorgeous illustrations are as luminous as the woman he depicts. Her fiery nature shows in her red hair and lively face. The secondary characters are outlined in white creating the feeling of being on a stage. The bright colors and exciting word choices make this book a great example of a picture book biography that shines.

I named my daughter after Adelaide Herrmann and she seems to enjoy the book

A magical story for children of all ages - as Addie weaves the story keeping you on the edge of your seat.

Cute book.

The 8-year-old girl I bought this for just loved this book!!

Really great illustrations, but beware- she shoots her husband as part of a truck and he dies. And that's all written in the book. :/Have to skip that part when we're reading.

Summary: Adele Scarsez never wanted to be ordinary. As a young woman she tried dancing and acrobatics, but they didn’t quite satisfy her desire to entertain and thrill audiences. Traveling to America, she met a young magician named Alexander Herrmann and asked him to marry her. He agreed, and Addie found her true calling as Adelaide Herrmann, magician. She performed as his assistant for many years. When he died, she knew she needed a way to keep the show going. Addie decided to learn the bullet-catching trick, a bit of magic so dangerous that magicians had been killed performing it. However, Addie succeeded, and her magic show continued for many years. An author’s note at the end tells a bit more about Addie, as well as how Mara Rockliff uncovered her story. 48 pages; grades 1-4.Pros: The team that produced last year’s Mesmerized returns with another tour de force. The story is fascinating, and the illustrations and overall design of the book, with text in a variety of fonts woven in among the pictures, makes this a visual feast.Cons: I would have liked to have understood the bullet-catching trick while reading the story instead of having to go to the website given on the last page to get a description of what it was.

This is the amazing story of Adelaide Herrmann, one of the first female magicians. She was brave, competent and as the title suggests, anything but ordinary. Starting out as a prima ballerina, Addie longed for more adventure. While traveling, she met Herrmann the Great, a talented magician, whom she instantly fell in love with and married. When he died suddenly, she took over the show and became one of the first female magicians continuing to wow crowds for the next thirty years.My five-year-old son was compelled by this intriguing true story. The bold illustrations brought Addie’s magical world alive and the text was the perfect length for a read aloud or to share one-on-one. I personally loved reading the author’s note in the back giving more insight into Addie’s extraordinary life!There can’t be enough books about strong females and children are going to love this incredible story!