Milo's Hat Trick
Milo the magician is a mess. Not only does he botch his card tricks and  tangle his rope tricks, but he can't even manage the old standby: pulling a  rabbit from a hat. Spurred on by his manager's fury, Milo heads out of the city  to find himself a rabbit. Dangling a carrot over his top hat, our magnificent  magician captures... a bear. Here is where his luck turns. As it happens, this  particular bear is adept at jumping into hats: "You just pretend your bones are  made of rubber," he says. "It's a secret I learned from a rabbit." Returning to  the city, (after a brief mix-up on the subway), the two quickly become a smash  sensation. But after popping in and out of 762 hats, the bear is positively  pooped. Can Milo carry on without his rubber-boned buddy?Jon Agee illustrates his eccentric story with strange yet wonderful  illustrations of blank-eyed, big-nosed, redheaded Milo in too-short trousers,  and the cavalier, hat-hopping bear. Perfect comedic timing and a nutty plot  ensure that readers of all ages will adore this tale of a misfit's triumph.  (Ages 3 to 8)--Emilie Coulter