<b><p align="center">Open this book and come face-to-face with the greatest magician of all time: Harry Houdini!</b><P>Victor is forever trying to escape from locked trunks, to walk through walls, and to perform any number of Houdini's astonishing magic tricks...without success. Then -- amazingly -- he meets his idol and begs Houdini to explain himself. A mysterious, locked box is the only answer, and Victor is left to wonder: Does the box contain the secrets of the most famous magic tricks ever performed?<P>From the creator of the Caldecott Medal-winning bestseller <I>The Invention of Hugo Cabret</i> comes this magical storybook that combines captivating mystery with mesmerizing historical fiction. Now, as a bonus at the end of the book, you will find a biographical note about Houdini, an illustrated magic trick, never-before-seen sketches by Brian Selznick, and more. <I>The Houdini Box</i> conjures up the pure pleasure of an old-time magic show.