Books with author Jon Tremaine

Hours of fun are in store for kids who test their shape-recognition, pattern-design, and problem-solving skills with this collection of tangram puzzles. A 48-page color-illustrated book presents approximately 150 tangram puzzles plus a summary of rules for solving them and a brief history of tangrams, starting with their origin in China approximately 200 years ago. Included with the book are five sets of magnetic tangrams of varied sizes, colors, and shapes, plus a board with a metallic interior that kids can use to set up their designs and solve the puzzles. A clear vinyl pocket that's bound into the book contains the magnetic board and the seven classic Chinese tangram tiles. Many additional smaller tiles are contained in a drawer that slides out from the book's sturdy spine.Book Details:Format: Activity BookPublication Date: 1/16/2009Pages: 48

Approximately 50 truly astonishing card tricks are demonstrated and explained in this unusual, beautifully photographed book for young and budding magicians. The distinctive feature of Amazing Card Tricks is the series of how-to photos, each close-up picture showing a pair of white-gloved hands in the step-by-step, sleight-of-hand process of manipulating a card deck to perform a magic trick. An opening sequence shows various ways to shuffle a card deck--and then to false shuffle in a way that gives the illusion of the real thing. Author Jon Tremain, a professional magician, also teaches his readers how to force a spectator's choice in selecting a card. He starts his repertory of tricks with a relatively easy one called X Marks the Spot. A spectator chooses a card, remembers it, puts it back into the deck, then immediately retrieves it after the deck is thoroughly shuffled. The tricks grow more challenging--and more amazing--as young readers progress through the pages of this vastly entertaining book. Bonus features include the author's method of fortune-telling with cards, and tips on creating a professional appearance while performing tricks.

A professional magician demonstrates the power of sleight-of-hand, using words and pictures that teach progressively more difficult--but also more amazing--coin and card tricks. Step-by-step illustrations show successive hand movements for each trick, and the accompanying text advises on methods for practicing and perfecting each of these amazing illusions. Tricks are arranged in groups, with tabs on page edges to separate and categorize successively more complex groups. With each trick, author Jon Tremaine divides his description into two parts: What you are supposed to do and What you actually do. Aspiring young magicians who open this book will discover the secrets of a polished professional, supplemented with a large measure of advice and encouragement. Approximately 40 amazing tricks in total.

Kids learn to fashion delightful paper images of frogs, birds, flowers, a spaceship, and lots more with this marvelous beginner's book of origami instruction. Forty-eight pages of step-by-step directions are clearly illustrated with color diagrams that show how to fold paper into all sorts of clever shapes. Attached to the inside-back cover is a sturdy pocket packed with 40 sheets of special origami paper. When kids pull out the drawer that's built into the book's spine they'll find a set of six colored pencils and 12 wobbly eyes they can use to decorate their finished origami creations. Here's a great beginner's guide and an easy way to enjoy the ancient Japanese art of paper folding.