The Book That Can Read Your Mind



Last updated Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Author: Marianna Coppo
Date of Publication: 2024
ISBN: 179722901X
Grade Level: 1st    (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Oct. 2025

Synopsis: This is not an ordinary book - it's a magical one! Lady Rabbit goes beyond pulling a rabbit out of a hat or making herself disappear. For her next act, she will READ YOUR MIND! That's right: You pick a member from the magician's adorable audience - don't tell which one you've chosen - and this book will guess who it is!

Inspired by 17th‑century magic books, this interactive game in a book will enchant readers of all ages, compelling them to pick among many intriguing, illustrated characters and play over and over (and over) again. Now, without further ado . . . let the magic show begin!

Note to readers:
•  This picture book works like a magic show. Your performance matters!
•  The first ~10 pages are the only narrative pages before the interactive trick begins. Read these opening pages slowly and dramatically - use a magician voice, lean into the humor, and exaggerate pauses to build suspense.
•  Plan your trick in advance! Agree on how you’ll run the trick (see “Magic Trick Tips” below) so the read-aloud stays organized and engaging.
•  Establish an ‘attention-getter’. Decide on a call-and-response to use if energy runs high. Ask kids how their teachers get their attention in class (e.g.“Waterfall, waterfall—shhh”)
•  Use the intermission. When the book signals the “intermission” before the characters move, invite kids to stretch and wiggle for 10-20 seconds, then regroup and continue the trick.

Magic Trick Tips

1. Assign volunteer roles: One Lead Magician holds the book and performs the read‑aloud from page 10 onwards. One or two Audience Guides to help kids choose and track their chosen character during the trick.

2. Decide how the character will be chosen: The Audience Guides may huddle with the kids to pick one character as a group, or invite one student to come up and choose a character while the Lead Magician looks away.

3. Keep the chosen character a secret from the Lead Magician: Make sure kids only tell them the row where the character is sitting (e.g. by raising their fingers to show the row number). Audience Guides help the group find their character’s new row number after the intermission.

4. Preserve the magic! Don’t mention the page‑number options or how the trick works during the first few read-throughs.

5. Repeat and rotate: Swap roles and run the trick again so each volunteer gets a turn as the Lead Magician.

Discussion topics for before reading:
•  What is a magic show? Have you ever seen a magician? What do magicians usually say or wear?
•  How can we be a good audience today? How we make sure the magic show goes smoothly? (Listen, watch, don’t interrupt, raise hands, take turns…)
•  The title says the book can read your mind. How could a book do that? What would you ask a mind-reading book?
•  If you could do one magic trick, what would it be?

Vocabulary:
•  Prestigious - very respected, admired, or successful. (A “prestigious audience” would be a group of very important people)
•  Magician - a person who performs magic tricks to entertain people.
•  Audience - The people watching and listening to a show. (That’s us!)
•  Distinguished - Looking or acting special and classy. (A “distinguished audience” might be very polite, well-dressed, and sitting nicely)
•  Intermission - a short break in the middle of a show.
•  Row - a straight line of seats or people side by side.

Discussion topics for during/after reading:
•  What do rabbits usually do in magic shows? Why is it silly that a bunny pulls a person out of a hat here?
•  Do you think this was real magic? How do you think this magic trick works?
•  What did you notice about the characters? (Colors? Faces? Funny details?) Which one was your favorite?
•  How did things change after the intermission? Why might a show have an intermission?
•  What would you say at the end of a trick instead of “Ta-da!”?

Craft ideas:
•  Design your own character to add to the audience.
•  Create a simple magician’s top hat with black construction paper and ribbon.

Special activities:
•  After the intermission, some audience characters change (Daisy now holds a drink, Candle’s flame is out, Little Trickster’s flower has wilted). Play a “Spot the Difference” game and invite kids to point out what changed.

Please bring the kids back by 11:10 for the magic show that starts at 11:15!

*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions. You can use them, but you don't have to use them. You can expand upon them, or add your own twist. Remember, though, that the focus of your time should not be on the development and execution of a craft; the focus should be on the read-aloud and the enjoyment of the book!