A Spotlight for Harry tells the story of the early life of who we know as Houdini. You learn that Harry and his brother were fans of the circus, and that is what got them both started in doing circus tricks, which lead into their adult jobs as magicians. It tells how they began learning to walk a tight rope from a very early age. You also get to see some of the problems they run into when trying all of their new tricks.
I liked this book. I think it adds more interest when you look at these brothers as children, just learning their tricks, as opposed to adults who have done them for years. I also like that you see the problems that can happen when they try out new tricks without planning them out. It will make kids stop and think before running out and trying something they just saw.

I think this book would be fun to use in class. You could use it to discuss the science aspect of what it took to balance on the rope and why. It could also be used to discuss how many tricks aren't as they seem. That could lead into research on how many magic tricks are performed. ( )