BookBright
ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSCarter Locke has never had a home. He travels from town to town with his Uncle Sly, a con artist who wants Carter to start stealing from strangers, but Carter has made himself one rule: he never steals. When his uncle pushes him too far, Carter jumps onto a moving train in the middle of the night and escapes to a small town called Mineral Wells. There he wanders into B. B. Bosso's traveling carnival, a flashy place full of rigged games and a sideshow that isn't quite what it seems. He also meets Mr. Vernon, a mysterious magician who runs a shop in town, and Vernon's daughter Leila, an escape artist his own age. Soon Carter is part of a small circle of young magicians, including Theo, who can make objects float with the help of his violin, and Ridley, who is sharp, blunt, and hard to fool. As the friends spend more time together, they start to notice that Bosso's carnival is hiding something far bigger than rigged games, something tied to the world's largest diamond, which is about to pass through Mineral Wells. Carter has spent his whole life keeping his guard up and moving on before anyone gets too close, but for the first time, he has people who want him to stay.
Free Battle of the Books questions for The Magic Misfits
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about The Magic Misfits. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book does a boy sneeze ice cubes instead of coins during a trick?
✓ Answer
The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris
Uncle Sly taught Carter a trick where a tissue held to the nose makes coins pour into a glass, and Carter improved it by switching to ice cubes. The narrator jokes that this is impressive given the size of the average nostril.
- First half
In what book are shelves stacked with alphabetized boxes labeled FINGERTIPS, FLASH PAPER, FOG, and FOOLS' GLASS?
✓ Answer
The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris
Carter gawks at the supplies crammed into Vernon's Magic Shop, feeling like a kid in a candy store. He is too embarrassed to ask what any of it does, so he promises himself he will look it all up at the next library he finds.
- First half
In what book does a girl warn that asking about her wheelchair will earn someone "a bloody nose"?
✓ Answer
The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris
Ridley Larsen introduces herself to Carter exactly this way, and he immediately crosses his heart and promises. She is the sharpest inventor in the group and would much rather talk about her ideas.
- Second half
In what book does a boy in a tuxedo float a ring onto a bottle with a violin bow?
✓ Answer
The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris
Theo Stein-Meyer levitates things by waving his folding bow, and he uses it to land the third ring toss throw. Carter still has no idea how it works, and Theo cheerfully refuses to tell him.
- Second half
In what book does a carnival owner levitate a thrashing donkey fifteen feet above a stage?
✓ Answer
The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris
B. B. Bosso pulls the stunt during his big top show while Leila whispers that she feels sorry for the poor animal. His act looks impressive, but the kids can already tell that something about him is very wrong.
- Near the end
In what book does a girl pull a set of spare lockpicks out of her swim cap?
✓ Answer
The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris
Leila needs to get through a locked service door at the resort, and she keeps a backup set in a box about the size of a stick of gum. As she says, a good escape artist needs to know how to open any door at any time.
