As If by Magic

By Patti Newman

As If by Magic is the delightful story of a little girl named Patti, who enjoys entertaining people and making them laugh. When her fifth-grade teacher goes around the classroom asking each child what he or she wants to be when they grow up, everyone knows right away—everyone but Patti, that is. Patti is embarrassed when all of her friends say they want to be doctors or lawyers, and she can’t think of anything she feels is as important. Finally, she says she wants to be a magician. After a little research and encouragement, to her own surprise, she decides to pursue her goal. And Patti Cake becomes a very successful birthday clown who performs magic.

Patti’s adventures make a very funny and inspiring story for children of all ages, and she hopes to convince everyone to feel good about what they do in their lives and share those good feelings with others.

As If by Magic contains some good jokes that are easy for children to remember and even describes a few of Patti’s magic tricks that, with a little practice, can be accomplished very easily by young readers. Best of all, many of the magic tricks in Patti’s book can be performed by using items found around the house.

Children will be so curious to see what she pulls out of her hat next that they will not be able to put Patti’s story down till the very end.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Patti Newman
• Release date: Jun 10, 2015
• ISBN: 9781513093680

Book preview

As If by Magic

By Patti Newman

Copyright 1985 and 2015 by Patti Newman

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the author at the email address below.

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As If by Magic/Patti Newman—1st ebook edition.

Hardbound edition originally published in 1985.

To my children, Tracy, Becky, Lauri and

Danny, also to my grandson, Taylor, and to all children, big and little, in the world

Part I

Patti, almost as cute as a button and smallest in the fifth-grade class at the P. R. Walker Grammar School, was staring out the window. She was watching a raspberry-colored leaf swaying gently on a tree. Patti wondered how long the leaf could hold on before it fell to the ground.

All of a sudden, the leaf looked like a lady circus performer in a bright-red costume, dangling from a rope.

As Patti was watching the lady go round and round, her teacher, Mrs. Ellis, was telling the class how pleased she was that everyone's assignment was finished for the week, and there were still ten minutes left before the dreaded weekend. (Oh, she teased, you may laugh, if you wish.) Being good students, they did!

Patti was startled by the laughter!

Thank you, children, the teacher smiled. "Now, would anyone in the class care to share what you would like to be when you grow up? You will grow up, you can be sure, whether you want to