The Bullet Catch: Murder by Misadventure by Amy Axelrod –OPTIONAL

Axelrod, Amy The Bullet Catch: Murder by Misadventure  245 pgs. Holiday House,2015. $17.95 Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G Violence: G
Leo, an orphan, and his friends are surviving on the streets of New York City in the early 1900s. Petty crime is their only skill, but when they betray him, Leo lands in an opportunity he can pass up: training to be a magicians assistant. But his former friends hasn’t forgotten him and are out to harm him. His new mentor, Barzini is sometimes kind and sometime moody and even irate. As Leo navigates the world of magic, he makes friends, meets famous magicians like Harry Houdini, and is caught in the secrets and the intrigues.  
First off, the cover is so awful and unappealing, I don’t think this book has a chance of passing muster with middle schoolers. It looks self published really. But the book itself was quite entertaining and fast paced, a fully visualized world with tons of little plot twists. I liked the main character as he struggle to make his way through the world, dedicating himself to learning new skills, and making new friends.
MS  –ADVISABLE Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.