Milo's Hat Trick [Hardcover]

Jon Agee (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

Milo the Magnificent isn't magnificent at all. His card trick is hopeless. His rope trick is a mess. So the theater manager gives him one last chance: Milo has to pull a rabbit out of his hat at the next performance - or else. With carrot, string, and stick, Milo heads for the woods in search of a rabbit. Instead he catches a bear, a very clever bear, whose sensational hat trick just might save Milo's magic act.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Milo the magician is a mess. Not only does he botch his card tricks and tangle his rope tricks, but he can't even manage the old standby: pulling a rabbit from a hat. Spurred on by his manager's fury, Milo heads out of the city to find himself a rabbit. Dangling a carrot over his top hat, our magnificent magician captures... a bear. Here is where his luck turns. As it happens, this particular bear is adept at jumping into hats: "You just pretend your bones are made of rubber," he says. "It's a secret I learned from a rabbit." Returning to the city, (after a brief mix-up on the subway), the two quickly become a smash sensation. But after popping in and out of 762 hats, the bear is positively pooped. Can Milo carry on without his rubber-boned buddy?

Jon Agee illustrates his eccentric story with strange yet wonderful illustrations of blank-eyed, big-nosed, redheaded Milo in too-short trousers, and the cavalier, hat-hopping bear. Perfect comedic timing and a nutty plot ensure that readers of all ages will adore this tale of a misfit's triumph. (Ages 3 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly

With marvelously economical narration and line drawings, Agee (The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau) conjures a formidable tale of a struggling magician. Milo could be Little Orphan Annie's uncle or a caricature of John Lennon. His brick-red mop of hair and thick mustache bracket pupil-less eyes and a voluminous nose, and a too-tight gray suit adds to his hangdog appearance. Onstage, he's no Houdini. He doesn't even have a rabbit for his act, and in trying to catch one (by dangling a carrot from a stick), he attracts a brown bear. This incident provides the absurd turning point of the story, for the immense animal executes a flawless dive into Milo's top hat ("You just pretend your bones are made of rubber. It's a secret I learned from a rabbit," the bear explains). Sitcom developments follow: the bear nonchalantly agrees to perform, Milo loses his furry friend on the train and the top hat walks the New York City streets on two clawed feet. Agee sets off the delectably far-fetched story line with pared-down charcoal-and-watercolor illustrations, and the strong planes and diagonals of his cityscapes recall Ben Katchor's comics. Understated writing complements the surreal images; when the hat finally reaches the theater, "Milo whistled and out popped the bear. `Boy,' said the bear, `am I glad to see you!'" In this accomplished book, Agee's plot twists are as surprising as, well, pulling a bear out of a hat. Ages 3-up.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Michael Di Capua Books; 1st edition (April 12, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786809027
• ISBN-13: 978-0786809028
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,140,716 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Little Magic for Everyone....., July 1, 2001

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Milo's Hat Trick (Hardcover)

Milo is a terrible magician. None of his tricks work, he can't even pull a rabbit out of his hat and Mr Popovich, the theater manager, is giving him just one more chance to get it right or he's through. So off Milo goes to the woods, with a carrot on a stick, looking for a rabbit. He doesn't find a rabbit, but he does find a very friendly bear who is willing to join the act and help him out. As Milo watches, the bear jumps up and dives into the hat, disappearing completely. "You just pretend your bones are made of rubber". After several hilarious mishaps, Milo and the bear finally get back to the theater just in time for the show..... Jon Agee has authored a delightful picture book that is sure to keep youngsters giggling and laughing to the end, as they enjoy the antics of this unusual dynamic duo. His clever, witty, humorous text is only outdone by his marvelous large and expressive cartoon-like artwork that will charm children and adults, alike. Perfect for kids 4-8, Milo's Hat Trick is a winner and one of this summer's best new books.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Milo's Hat Trick Is Terrific, June 30, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Milo's Hat Trick (Hardcover)

Milo's Hat Trick is a fun tale that is certain to amuse both children and adults. Milo the magician is truly inept. Desperate for a trick that will revive his pitiful act, Milo gets a lucky break when he meets a resourceful bear. Once again, Milo demonstrates his ineptitude when he loses the bear on the NYC subway. But the bear arrives and saves the day, bringing Milo enormous success. After hundreds of shows, the bear is too exhausted to continue jumping into the hat. Milo fears that he will lose his audience and flounder into failure, but the bear saves the day, teaching Milo how to perform the hat trick. Readers who have visited NYC will find Milo's Hat Trick especially appealing, but everyone can enjoy the bear's zany antics.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Believing Is Magic, July 29, 2011

By 

Ohioan - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Milo's Hat Trick (Hardcover)

Jon Agee is one of my favorite children's author-illustrators, and this is my favorite of his picture books. Milo is a magician who just can't perform magic: he cannot pull a rabbit out of his hat. In fact, he can't even find a rabbit. Instead, he one day finds a bear: a bear for whom disappearing into and popping out of a black silk hat is a mere nothing. It's a mere nothing because the bear believes he can do it, and so he does it. To help Milo out, the bear leaps in and out of the hat like magic, wowing the crowds. But after 762 performances, the bear needs to sleep. So Milo is on his own. But this is a new Milo, strengthened by the help of a stranger (the bear) and by belief in himself. The transformation in Milo is magic. Highly recommended.