I have seen this routine and it is a great solid act if you are looking for some kid material. It takes a plain coloring book routine into something special. Hocus Pocus now has this item.

Guccimagic,

What is Hocus Pocus actually selling? (What's included?) I'm familiar with the routine as it was written up in his lecture notes a few years ago. I agree it is a GREAT routine! I've been doing it for about a year now.

Tim

I am NOT familiar with this, can someone explain it?

Thanks
Ken

It is a three card monte with kids and a "coloring book". You allow the kids to keep figuring out which kid has the colored book but as you know you have control over who has the colored book. Then you try to throw the kids off your trail by giving them a funny mask to hide who they think has the colored book but all of a sudden they can't guess correct. It is a riot, the kids just love it. If you need more info check out the Hocus Pocus website.

What is it called?
Ken

Here is an explanation of the routine.
Three “Kid” Monte by Cody Fisher

Brilliant routine, thanks for giving the source.

Oliver

Sounds like a great routine. Is there a reason to buy it from H.P. instead of just buying a couple of extra coloring books? I'm not trying to be cheap (ok maybe I am) but if it is already a published routine is it worth buying it "packaged"?

Buy the packaged deal, because by the time you buy the extra coloring books and the funny masks, you are close to the price of the package and you still don't have all the good patter.

Sounds fair to me, thanks.

Buy it from HP. By time you buy three coloring books, mask and try to come up with a routine then you will have spent the same amount of money. I have not ordered yet but will in the next few weeks. If you join the club at HP then you can get a discount or buy it when HP does one of their 20 to 25% off sales.

I've tried the routine several times, and admittedly maybe it's just me, but it hasn't garnered the response I expected. It went over kind of "okay" but not a "main event" routine for me. I just imagined it would play stronger (for me).

Jim T.

This sounds like it has great potential.

Along with the coloring book I have been playing with a six way Nursery Rhyme Book. I plan on including Malaprops with the reading of the rhymes,

Harris

It looks like Jim Steinmeyer has a similar routine in this month's issue of MAGIC. I just glossed through it, but it looks very similar.

Ron Reid

Great routine. I'm going to try to apply it to other effects.
Jim

A small suggestion to anyone doing this great routine.

Get three of the clips used to keep bags of chips closed. Clip them to the top of the coloring books. This prevents the helpers from opening the books, and if a child drops one it will not fall open.

Do with it what you will.
mike

Nice routine. But I'm trying to place just where I first heard it. Several years ago I remember it being credited to Billy McComb. It was an off hand suggestion of his to a young performer (mentioned on an older commercial tape I have somewhere.) When I saw this thread, I was surprised his name didn't come up as a credit.

I desperately need help with this routine.

It plays great. The kids and adults have a great time during the mixing and the masks and all of that. However, the ending seems like such a letdown. Any suggestions on how to spice it up other than simply showing all books blank? I thought about using a "blank" larger book at first and then showing that the lines and colors leave the smaller books one at a time and go to the larger. I really like the idea, however, the ending just seems anticlimactic.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Same problem here Christopher.

I am having fun with it but the ending is little weak.
ken

If you come up with anything let me know.

I met you at magifest this year and have had a great time with everything you offered. I highly recommend the video to anyone getting into kids shows, … invaluable.

Thanks.