Amazing Optical Illusions (Library Binding)

~ Illusionworks (Author) "What is this a picture of?..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5–A great introduction to the world and art of optical illusion. After a brief lead-in to the topic, 29 images are presented, all set against white backgrounds. At the top of each page, a challenge or question is set forth. After examining each crisp illusion, readers can turn to the clear explanation or suggestion offered at the bottom of the page. Most of the pictures are classics, e.g., the elephant with the lost leg, and therefore they may be familiar to children who have seen other books on the subject. Still, this title is sure to find enthusiasts in every library.–Cynde Suite, Bartow County Library System, Adairsville, GA
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Review

A book for fun viewing/reading and browsing, its contents could also contribute to high school level introductory psychology courses. -- Dave Jenkinson, Canadian Materials 04/15/2005

Dazzle your eye and fool your brain... Each page will surprise and amuse the young reader. -- Carylyn Cutt, Resource Links 02/2005

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Firefly Books (August 19, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155297961X
• ISBN-13: 978-1552979617
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #604,015 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun for all ages, March 19, 2005

By	FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

This book of amazing illusions is a good gift and good fun for people of all ages.  While ostensibly a children's book, I've used the pictures here to entertain and educate groups of all ages, from young children to older adults.  It is fascinating to see what different people pick up and out of the photographs, but there is always at least one picture for each group that has people protesting that the illusion is not in fact what it purports to be.
 
Many people are familiar with the fantastic creations of people such as Escher; while there are not actual Escher pieces, they all tap into the same element of mystery.  Some of the illusions are very straight-forward - the image of the faces facing each other, which then becomes a vase, or the parallel lines drawn on the backdrop of pattern lines radiating out, which then gives the illusion that the lines are not parallel, are fairly well known.  Other pieces, such as the portrait of Emperor Rudolf II done by Giuseppe Arcimboldo in the 1500s entirely out of fruite, or the various `spirals' constructed exclusively out of concentric, separate circles are less well known.
 
The tricks here, such as they are, are fairly simple to understand.  Much of them rely on perspective distortion of the senses, pattern fuzziness, or colour ambiguities and playfulness.  The side-wise house in San Francisco, for example, relies on the camera being level with the street, rather than the house; the people in photographs appearing as differently sized depends upon perspective gerrymandering. 
 
Some pieces are quite clever; the falling bookshelves that are not in fact falling is a piece that exists in the real world; the colonnaded patio seen from above and below is more in the tradition of Escher, in that it cannot exist in the real world. 
 
This is a fun little book, that will likely give hours of amusing and thought-provoking engagement for children of all ages.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Optical Illusions amazes kids, January 9, 2007

By	Paul Cowman (Cortez, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Amazing Optical Illusions (Paperback)

I purchased this book with the intent of awarding it to one of my students- I am a 6th grade teacher in Colorado. It arrived in timely fashion. I perused the book to ensure that it was age-appropriate for a 12-year old student. It's layout and presentation, size of pictures and descriptions, engaged me as a reader. That is what the 4-star recommendation shows. For the winner of this book, I know, based on his reaction and sharing with friends, that the star rating was above 5. I highly recommend this book for people of all ages.

4.0 out of 5 stars illusions, December 2, 2009

By	L. Toumey - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Amazing Optical Illusions (Paperback)

This book is very useful for younger children....the illustrations are perfect to pique their interest!