«Anna, Banana, and the Magic Show Mix-Up» by Anica Mrose Rissi

When preparing for a magic show, Anna and her friends find a talent for trouble instead in the eighth book of this “fast-paced, fun, and funny” (Megan McDonald, bestselling author of the Judy Moody series) illustrated chapter book series about the joys and challenges of elementary school friendships.

Anna, Sadie, and Isabel develop an interest in magic tricks when their frenemy Justin mystifies them with a cool card trick but refuses to tell them how he did it. Determined to figure it out for themselves, the girls set out for the best place to find answers—the library!—ready to learn every magic trick in the book.

But magic isn’t as easy as it appears, even with a book of instructions. When Anna goes to her neighbor Mrs. Shirley for advice, she finds out that while Mrs. S doesn’t know any magic tricks herself, her very favorite birthday party ever was a magician show where the magician pulled a rabbit out of a hat. With the neighborhood potluck coinciding with Mrs. Shirley’s seventy-sixth birthday, Anna and her friends decide to practice their own magic act to perform for her, but a whole slew of mix-ups ensue as they try to puzzle out how the tricks are done and how to figure out Justin’s secret, too. Can Anna and her friends perform some magic and get the mix-ups under control before—presto—it’s showtime?