Hey, Presto!

Nadia Shireen's Hey, Presto is a picture book for 7 year olds about a quiet magician and a friend who gets much too big for his boots.

What happens

Presto has a battered old hat, a slightly wonky wand and a real talent for magic. His friend Monty's talents are eating ice cream and pulling very silly faces.

When Monty spots a poster for the carnival, he has a brilliant idea. They'll put on a magic show and become famous! They'll take turns being the star, and Monty will go first.

You can probably guess what happens next. Monty shouts in his loudest voice at the front of the stage. Presto hides behind him and makes every trick work. And somehow it's always Monty's turn, night after night after night.

The show is a huge hit. Monty, though, turns bossy, rude and demanding. Then he's offered a big bag of money for the biggest magic show ever, on television. Presto will finally get to be onstage... being sawn in half by Monty. No thank you!

So Presto quietly picks up his hat and his wand and leaves. Monty buys himself a shiny new hat and a very fancy wand. He reads a big book of magic tricks. What could possibly go wrong? (Quite a lot, as it turns out.)

It's a gentle, funny way into a very real playground feeling. Most children know what it's like to wait for a turn that never comes. Some will know what it's like to be the one hogging the limelight too! Little ones will enjoy spotting that Monty is the one who's changed long before he does.

The repeated lines make it lovely for reading aloud. And there's a satisfying moment where Monty finally realises what sort of friend he's been.

If your reader enjoys a pair of friends who couldn't be more different, it's a good one to talk about afterwards. Who did they feel sorry for? Would they have left, like Presto?

What to read next

If they love Nadia Shireen's funny animals, try Grimwood next. It's a longer read about two fox cubs, sweet Ted and his tough big sister Nancy, and a really horrible cat called Princess Buttons.