Milo's Hat Trick

Written by Jon Agee

Narrated by Kirby Heyborne

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamscape Media Audio
• Release date: Nov 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781633795389

Jon Agee

Jon Agee is the author/illustrator of The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau (an ALA Notable), The Return of Freddy Legrand (an SLJ Best Book of 1992), and Dmitri the Astronaut, each chosen by The New York Times as one of the ten best picture books of the year. He has also created five books of wordplay, among them Go Hang a Salami! I'm a Lasagna Hog! He lives in New York City.

Reviews for Milo's Hat Trick

[lenorer-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I found this book to be choppy, like it almost was missing pages.

[abigailadams26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Never was a magician less aptly named than Milo the Magnificent. Hopelessly incompetent, he couldn't even do a decent hat trick. When his stage manager gave him an ultimatum - pull a rabbit out of his hat, or leave the company - our hero set out for the woods, in order to find the required leporine assistant. What he found instead was a bear, a bear with a special talent. And so began a hilarious series of adventures, as Milo and the bear become separated on their way into the city, only to be reunited at the right time...As a great admirer of author/artist Jon Agee's picture-books, which always keep me entertained with their droll humor and amusing illustrations, I am very pleased that Milo's Hat Trick, originally published in 2001, and subsequently out of print, has been republished in this new (2017) edition. An engaging story, one which will keep young children amused with its tale of a bumbling magician who finds his way in the end, is paired with hilarious cartoon-style illustrations in Agee's own inimitable style. Recommended to all fellow Jon Agee fans, and to anyone looking for children's stories about magicians, bears, and/or amusing adventures.

[lmeza-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book, unfortunately my duaghter fell asleep before the story was over. I had not realized I had brought two Jon Agee's books from the Library until I saw the illustrations!

[matthewbloome · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a funny book. The failing magician needs a rabbit to pull out of his to save his act, but he finds a cooperative bear instead. The bear conveniently has already learned to perform the trick from a rabbit friend and agrees to help the magician. The bear, hiding inside the hat, gets separated from the magician on the way to the stage and has to find his way back to the magician in time for the show. Everything works out in the nick of time and Milo the Magician gets famous. Eventually the bear tires out and decides to return to his cave, but not before imparting the workings of the trick to Milo so that Milo can soldier on with a slight change in his act. I loved it.

[dukefan86 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a fun, light story. I like that Milo didn't give up. Funny how he gets help from a big bear instead of a little rabbit.

[mrcmyoung · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A down on his luck magician tries could save his act by pulling a rabbit out of his hat, but he finds a bear instead. Seems like a great idea until Milo loses his hat in the city and the cooperative bear misses his cue. Another example of Agee's simple yet imaginative landscapes where gentle chaos erupts and then order is restored.

[alliecipa · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Milo the magician cannot get any of his tricks right- he can't even pull a rabbit out of his hat! Milo finds a rabbit to practice with and ends up meeting a bear. The bear teaches Milo a special trick- how to jump into the hat and disappear!

[lmcswe1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book for several reasons. Most importantly, it was a fun, enjoyable book to read. It’s a lighthearted story that, coupled with it’s lovable characters and simplistic illustrations, will make anyone smile. The best part of the book is probably the characters, as they are easily relatable. For example, Milo, the main character, can't find a rabbit to pull out of his hat. Although this isn't a problem that children are likely to face, the struggle that Milo goes through to find a rabbit to please his boss is comparable to problems children may have in their daily lives. At the end, Milo doesn't find a rabbit, but instead finds a bear. However, the show is still a success, and Milo's boss is pleased. This illustrates an important lesson: there isn't always one "right answer" to a problem. Another positive aspect of this book was the illustrations. They were very whimsical, and did a good job of adding to the character description. For example, Milo is a character whose big hat and nose take up almost his entire face. He's tall, lanky, and slightly hunched over. It looks as if he is withdrawn. This definitely fits his character description, as he is described as a failure of a magician with very little self confidence. In contrast, the character of the bear is a big, looming (but friendly) presence. This fits with his description as a confident character. The big idea of this book can be described as a problem-solution effect. Milo had a problem, (he couldn't pull a rabbit out of his hat.) Although there were some bumps in the road (he couldn't find a rabbit, for example,) he was able to find an alternate solution that worked.