Book Test

Attention all book worms! Learn a magic trick that will mystify even the smartest librarian! Join Magician Ryan Oakes as he shows you step by step his famous Book Test trick!

3 to 4 different books (all soft cover with around the same number of pages)
Scissors
Pen and paper
Tape

SOMETIMES WE USE MATERIALS THAT REQUIRE ADULT SUPERVISION…LIKE SCISSORS SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY AROUND WHENEVER YOU DO MAGIC TRICKS!

1. To prepare, select a certain number of pages in one of the books (around 4) and write down some words from each page, creating a 'cheat sheet.'
2. Next, for each page that you've selected in the book, take the 4 pages in front of it and cut the tips of the top corners off. This way, you can flip through the book from the top corners and easily stop at any one of those pages. You should try to space out your selected pages (page 20, 81, etc.) throughout the book so you’ll be close to one no matter where you stop flipping. Practice flipping to these pages to get a feel for it.
3. Select key words from the same numbered pages in each of the other books. They can be words from the top or bottom of the pages. Add these words to your cheat sheet.
4. Tape your finished cheat sheet to the back of your main book (the one with the corners cut from the pages).
5. Now you’re ready to perform the trick. Show your four books to a friend and ask him or her to pick one. If your friend chooses any of the other books besides your main book, it will be easier to select it yourself. If he or she chooses the main book, simply take it and say that you’ll be using that one in a minute and have your friend choose one of the remaining three. Once he or she has selected, remove the other two.
6. Have your friend choose one of the pages you’ve pre-selected in your book. To do that, flip through the pages and have him or her tell you to stop. Be careful not to reveal the cheat sheet attached to the back of the book when you do this. If you’ve spaced out your selected pages well enough, you should be able to land on one of them whenever your friend tells you to stop because of the cut corners.
7. Open the page up in the book to show it to your friend, pointing out the page number you’ve landed on. Try to conceal the cut page corners across from it using your wrist as you do this.
8. Once your friend has seen the page number, have him or her turn to that same page number in their own book and read the first or last sentence on it, whichever one you've selected key words from. While he or she does this, casually close your book and turn it so you can see the back but your friend can't.
9. On your cheat sheet, quickly find the page number and the book your friend has and glance at the words you've selected from the top/bottom of the page.
10. Have your friend hold his or her book away from you so you can’t see the page. Hold your hands and book up and really sell the idea that you’re thinking and trying to read his or her mind. You'll actually be subtly looking at your cheat sheet.
11. Recite the key words from your friend's sentence and watch his or her jaw drop at your mind-reading abilities!