All of Graeme Base's books are absolutely stunning from the story to the illustrations. The story is wonderful and only exceeded by the gorgeous illustrations. This book can be read cover to cover but then it is also fun to go back and solve on the hidden puzzles. ( )

Too difficult for my old eyes.  Same comment in the companion puzzle book by Base.  I did try, and do recommend them to folks who have patience, strong eyes, and good light. ( )

Graeme Base uses rhyming to tell the story of Berti the badger who likes to visit his Grandpa and his retired magician friends. Berti has the challenge of solving the mystery of the missing magic props. This warm story shows the special bond between Berti and his Grandpa. At the back of the book is a letter to the reader to help break the code and find some of the magic props hiding in the pictures. ( )

This cute little story revolves around a badger named Bertie who loves magic and all it entails. He visits his grandpa to walk him to magic tricks until one day his props wind up missing, Bertie requires the help of the audience in this mysterious childrens tale. ( )

An appealing mixture of rhyme, mystery and humor for children. However, it was the code solving opportunity that prompted me to review this book. The artwork was not as rich as his popular classic Animalia, but the puzzle element proved to be a formidable challenge. ( )