Abracadabra!
And poof, the magician disappeared just like that. But don’t worry, you’ve seen acts like this and he’ll be back. His lovely assistant will help him onstage and the show will go on. But what if the roles were reversed? In the new book “Vanished” by Anna Hays, what if the magician was a woman?
Imagine being surrounded by magic.
That pretty well describes Anna Hays’ life, after she met the man who’d become her husband. He was a magician, he had friends who were magicians, and there Hays was. But this made her think: magic had a long history. Surely, there were women hidden in it somewhere.
Hays searched and, to her delight, there were! In this book, she profiles seven of them.
Born at the end of March in 1851, Annie Eliza Heathman lost her mother when she was just a child so her father, a poor shoemaker, sent Annie to a foster home to work. But Annie didn’t like it there, and when she ran back home, her father placed her in another foster home.
The second time, she was lucky: her new foster father was a highly-respected medium in the Spiritualist community, and he saw great promise in Annie. She grew up and learned a lot from him, eventually striking out on her own and gaining fame with a new name: Anna Eva Fay who, it was said, could conjure spirits and speak to the dead.
Adelaide Hermann always dreamed of flying and in her career in the mid-1800s, she wowed audiences with dance and gravity-defying feats. Adelaide was world-famous and fearless, once spontaneously volunteering to be shot out of a cannon. For her efforts, she got applause, and two burned feet.
Dixie Haygood convinced audiences that electricity made her super-strong. Mary Ann Ford performed with coins. Beatrice Houdini married one of the world’s most famous magicians, while Margaretha Gertz performed some of his most impressive feats. And Ellen Emma Armstrong, who was Black, brought audiences to their feet despite their racism.
Abracadabra, alakazam, who doesn’t want to know more about those incredible TV magicians and performers like them? Undoubtedly, your middle-schooler does, so “Vanished” is the book to conjure up.
In seven lively biographies, author Anna Hays shows young readers that history can disappear just as quickly as can a coin or a card, and the reappearance is equally enjoyable. That’s exciting for budding magicians looking for inspiration, or for kids who want a different kind of history or biography for class – but beware that the tales of these female prestidigitators can sometimes become a bit confusing, with name alterations and worldwide locales that swirl through the narrative. Still, Hays does a great job with variety, which saves the day. Young performers will also enjoy reading about the magicians’ best stunts in pages that hint while preserving the magic of the show.
This book may seem like it’s for 8-to-12-year-old girls only, but boys can surely enjoy the magic of “Vanished,” too. Find it soon, and watch your child’s time disappear.
“Vanished: Seven Women Magicians Who Simply Disappeared” by Anna Hays
c.2025, Bright Matter Books
$18.99
240 pages
