Kylie the Magnificent Read online

  Copyright © Marty Chan 2021

  Published in Canada and the United States in 2021 by Orca Book Publishers.

  orcabook.com

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

  Title: Kylie the magnificent / Marty Chan.

  Names: Chan, Marty, author.

  Series: Orca currents.

  Description: Series statement: Orca currents

  Identifiers: Canadiana (print) 20210095164 | Canadiana (ebook) 20210095199 |

  ISBN 9781459828070 (softcover) | ISBN 9781459828087 (PDF) |

  ISBN 9781459828094 (EPUB)

  Classification: LCC PS8555.H39244 K95 2021 | DDC jC813/.54—dc23

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2020951493

  Summary: In this high-interest accessible novel for middle-grade readers, amateur magician Kylie has to work hard to be taken seriously.

  Orca Book Publishers is committed to reducing the consumption of nonrenewable resources in the making of our books. We make every effort to use materials that support a sustainable future.

  Orca Book Publishers gratefully acknowledges the support for its publishing programs provided by the following agencies: the Government of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.

  Edited by Tanya Trafford

  Design by Ella Collier

  Cover artwork by Ella Collier

  Author photo by Ryan Parker

  Printed and bound in Canada.

  24 23 22 21 • 1 2 3 4

  Orca Book Publishers is proud of the hard work our authors do and of the important stories they create. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it or did not check it out from a library provider, then the author has not received royalties for this book. The ebook you are reading is licensed for single use only and may not be copied, printed, resold or given away. If you are interested in using this book in a classroom setting, we have digital subscriptions with multi user, simultaneous access to our books, or classroom licenses available for purchase. For more information, please contact [email protected].

  ivaluecanadianstories.ca

  To all the kids who chase the

  dream of becoming magicians

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter One

  “Magic is real. Not like in the Harry Potter movies. I’m talking about real magic, like what I’m about to show you.” I was talking to myself, practicing what I was going to say onstage.

  “Next!” a voice called. “Who’s next?”

  “Okay, Kylie,” I muttered. “You’ve got this.”

  “I said next!” the voice boomed.

  “Coming!” I yelled. I headed onto the stage.

  The first round of tryouts for the magic club’s talent show was packed. Every magician in the club wanted a chance to get onstage. I had joined the club just six months back, but I had already learned some pretty amazing tricks. I wanted people to ooh and aah with wonder at my magic. I wanted them to clap for my tricks. I wanted them to jump to their feet and cheer for me. But all that would have to wait. Right now I just wanted to puke.

  So far I had only ever done this trick in front of my bathroom mirror. Now I had to do it in front of Peter, the show’s director and head of the magic club. My nerves were getting the better of me. I had to hold my hands to keep them from shaking.

  Peter looked up from his clipboard and grunted. “Well, the stage is yours, Kylie. Let’s get going, shall we? I have a lot of acts to see today.”

  He headed off the stage and took a seat in the front row, clicking his pen over and over again as he waited for me to start.

  I fumbled in the vest pocket of my black jacket and pulled out a solved Rubik’s Cube. Each of the six sides of nine blocks was a solid color. Here goes nothing.

  “Magic is the thing that is real,” I began. “No, wait. Hold on. I messed up.” I looked out into the rows of seats. “Can I start over?” I asked.

  Peter sighed. “Relax, Kylie. Breathe.”

  I shoved the cube back into my pocket. “Magic is real,” I said. “Not like in the Harry Potter movies. I’m talking about real magic, like what I’m about to show you.”

  I pulled the cube out again, but it flew out of my hand and hit the stage floor with a thud.

  “You okay, Kylie?” Peter asked.

  “I’m fine. Fine,” I said. “Just a little nervous, I guess.”

  As I bent over to pick up the cube, my wand and a deck of cards flew out of my vest pocket. I scooped them up and stuffed everything back into the pocket.

  “Oh right, the cube. Oops…sorry,” I said as I reached into my pocket to pull out the cube again. Only this time I pulled out a pink bra.

  Peter chuckled.

  “Magic is real,” I began again as I stuffed the bra back into my pocket. When I pulled my hand out this time, a stuffed bunny was hugging my wrist. I shook the bunny off, and it went flying across the stage. It smacked against the black curtain and stuck there.

  Peter laughed.

  “Magic is real,” I said again. “Let me show you with this…this…hey, where is my Rubik’s Cube?”

  I spun around the stage, searching for the cube.

  “Check your pocket,” Peter said.

  I pulled out my wand, the cards and the bra. Then I pulled out a giant pencil that stretched and stretched until it was six feet long. I tossed it behind me as I eyed the stuffed rabbit. I hopped over to the curtain and yanked the toy off. I turned around to show the audience—well, Peter—that the rabbit was holding the cube.

  “Ah,” I said, trying to pry the cube from the bunny. “Magic is real. Take this ordinary Rubik’s Cube.” The bunny wouldn’t let go. Finally I ripped the cube away, along with one of the bunny’s feet. The foot landed in Peter’s lap.

  “Heh, heh,” I said. “Looks like you got a lucky rabbit’s foot.”

  He smiled. I could tell he was figuring out now that all my fumbling was actually part of my act.

  “But I won’t need luck for this trick,” I continued, really finding my groove. “For some people, this Rubik’s Cube is just a kids’ toy. But in the right hands, a toy can become a thing of magic.”

  I began to mix up the colors on the cube, twisting the various pieces this way and that.

  Peter leaned forward. In the wings, some of the younger kids awaiting their turn were watching. I held up the cube, now a jumble of colors.

  “They say it’s hard to solve this cube,” I said as I turned it over and over in my hand. “There are billions of patterns, and only one with solid colors on all six of its sides. It is almost impossible to solve. But in the world of magic, anything is possible.”

  I tossed the cube up and caught it in one hand. I twisted my hand to reveal that all the sides were solid colors. Solved! The kids clapped, and I took a bow. Peter marked some notes on his clipboard. Click, click, click went his pen. I had no idea if he was impressed or not. All I could do was wait for him to speak.

  After what seemed like an hour, he spoke. “Well, de
ar,” he said. He always called me dear, which I hated. “It’s not bad. But I’m not sure if your performance is right for the talent show.”

  “You didn’t like my magic?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “Oh, I liked it well enough. Your magic is solid. Solving a Rubik’s Cube that fast will wow the crowd. But if I had one note for you, it would be that you didn’t let me, the audience, take a good look at the cube first. How do we know you didn’t rig it to be solved quickly somehow?”

  “I mixed up the cube in front of you,” I said.

  “Yes, but you were the one who did it,” Peter said. “You didn’t give me a chance to touch the cube.”

  “Okay, fair point. I’ll keep that in mind for next time,” I said. “Thank you.”

  “And the comedy bit at the beginning…” he added. What about it? “It was funny, but I’m not sure if it’s the right tone for you.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “Don’t get me wrong, dear. I love comedy magic when it’s done right,” Peter said. “The bunny toss made me laugh out loud.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “But I don’t know. For one, your costume choice seems wrong. A suit jacket? That’s for classic magicians like Blackstone. You should wear something that fits who you are. You know, like a dress. Maybe something sparkly,” Peter said. “And it wouldn’t hurt to put your hair up. You want to look pretty for your audience, dear.”

  I gritted my teeth and resisted telling him what I thought about his “advice.” I wanted a spot in the show, but this guy was unbelievable.

  “Well, I’d need a dress with pretty big pockets,” I said, trying not to let him know how annoyed I was.

  He ignored me, still rambling on with his thoughts. “Still, I suppose it would be good to have a girl in the show,” he said. “For the optics, you know.”

  God. “So does that mean I’m in?” I asked.

  Peter tapped his pen against the clipboard. “I don’t know. Actual talent is the most important thing. We must maintain the integrity of the show. I only have one slot left for your age group, and still one more magician to try out. If he bombs, I’ll consider you.”

  Gee, thanks. At least there was some hope. But it meant the next kid had to fail. An evil idea started to form in my brain. Maybe I could make them so nervous they’d mess up their trick. It was a bit underhanded, but I really wanted to be in the show.

  “Who is the last magician to try out?” I asked, pretending I was just wondering.

  Peter scanned his clipboard. “Let me see. Ah yes. Min-Jun is the last one in your age group.”

  “Min? Are you sure?” I asked.

  Peter nodded.

  My heart sank.

  The kid who was up for the same slot as me was my best friend.

  Chapter Two

  I searched for Min backstage and wondered what I would say to him when I found him. Would I give him my support? Or would I try to crush his spirit? I honestly didn’t know which way I would go.

  I stopped to check out Dana Wynn as she worked on her act. Even though she was a couple of years older than me, she usually sat beside me at the meetings. We were the only girls in the club. She barely talked in the sessions. I think it was because she thought her braces made her sound weird. Anyway, she was a great magician.

  Dana cut a rope in half, showed off the two ends, then brought them together and made the rope whole again.

  I clapped. “Pretty awesome,” I said. Peter never gave her—or me—any credit for our tricks. He only ever told us what we did wrong. I figured Dana should hear when she did something right.

  “Almost perfect,” she said, covering her mouth with one hand. “I’m still working on how to piece the rope together more smoothly.”

  “I didn’t see anything weird,” I said. “I think you were perfect.”

  “Thank you,” Dana said. “I saw your act from the wings. Good job, Kylie. How did you do the thing with the cube?”

  I grinned. “You know the club saying.”

  She nodded as we both said it at the same time. “Magicians never reveal their secrets.”

  We laughed. Peter made everyone in the club chant this at the start and finish of every club meeting.

  “Good luck with your tryout,” I said.

  “Thank you,” she said, smiling for a second before covering her mouth with her hand again.

  I found Min in the hallway. He swept his shaggy black hair out of his face and held up a large silver dollar between his fingers. He placed the coin on the palm of his hand, then made a fist. When he opened his hand…poof! No silver dollar. Min was the best.

  “Hey, Kylie,” Min said. “How did your tryout go?”

  “Pretty good,” I said. “Just have to wait for Peter to decide.”

  He clapped his hand on my shoulder. “You’ll get in for sure. How did the bunny bit work?” he asked.

  “Great!” I said. “Thanks for the idea. Putting Velcro on the stuffie’s belly helped it stick to the curtains.”

  “It’s a funny gag. I laughed when you said you were going to do it,” Min said.

  “Are you ready for your tryout?” I asked.

  “I’m okay with making the coin vanish, but I’m afraid I’m going to mess up my script. I just wish I could do the trick and never have to talk.”

  Min reached into his vest pocket, fished out the silver dollar and flipped it in the air. He was a great magician but a lousy talker. Even though it had been four years since he’d come here from Korea, he was always worried about his accent. It was barely noticeable.

  If I wanted my friend to mess up his tryout, I knew how to do it. I just had to say, I’m sorry, what did you say? I can’t understand.

  The coin rolled across the back of Min’s fingers as he went over his lines. “Have you ever heard about people not being able to hang on to their money? I’m one of those people.” He took the coin from the back of his hand and placed it on his palm, closing his fingers over the silver dollar. With a snap of his fingers…poof! The coin was gone.

  “How was that?” Min asked.

  Here was my chance. With one question, I could make Min so nervous he’d screw up his tryout. One question…

  Nah. I couldn’t do it. Instead I forced a grin. “Fantastic. You’re going to kill it with that act.”

  Min breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks! Great to know you always have my back, Kylie.”

  “You’d better get to the stage. I think you might be next,” I said.

  “Will you stay and watch?” he asked.

  “Wouldn’t miss it.” I couldn’t believe I’d ever thought of messing with him. I could get another chance to be in the magic show. I couldn’t get another friend like Min.

  “Next!” Peter called out. “Min-Jun. You’re next!”

  “Good luck,” I told Min, giving him two thumbs-up.

  “Thanks,” he said.

  Min walked onstage and started his act. “Have-you-ever-heard-about-people-not-being-able-to-hang-on-to-their-money?” His entire act became one super-long sentence. I don’t think he even stopped to take a breath.

  But Min’s coin magic was amazing. Even Peter gasped when Min reached under the paper on Peter’s clipboard and produced the silver dollar he had made disappear a second earlier. If Min could have done the act without having to say a single word, it would have been pure magic.

  Peter tapped his clipboard and stared at Min for what seemed like forever. “Well, I’m not sure. Great coin magic. No doubt about it. But you seemed nervous. You talked way too fast for anyone to understand.”

  “Sorry,” Min said.

  “I’m going to have to think about this,” Peter said.

  While I felt bad for my friend, I felt excited that I might still have a chance. I inched out onto the stage, hoping that if Peter saw me now, he’d cast me on the spot.

  “Thank you for the chance to try out,” Min said as he started to shuffle off.

  “Keep working
on your script,” Peter said. “You just need to work on your patter. Talk a little slower. Maybe Kylie can give you some tips.”

  This was a good sign. I stepped forward, waiting for Peter to tell me that I was in the show.

  “Well, maybe I don’t need another act for the juniors,” I heard Peter mutter to himself.

  Gut punch. Peter’s comment took the wind out of me. Had Min and I both lost our shot at the show? Min shambled toward me, looking like he had just lost his dog.

  “Sorry, Min,” I said. “I thought your magic was great. I couldn’t see anything wrong with the coin trick.”

  “Thanks, Kylie. I wish I could be more like you. You’re so natural onstage. Like, you’re never scared or anything,” Min said.

  “Well, I wish I could have your skills,” I said. “You are a real magician.”

  Min laughed. “Ha, too bad we can’t be one person. Imagine a two-headed magician.”

  I chuckled. “Yeah, that would be something to… wait a minute.”

  Min cocked his head to the side. “What?”

  His joke had given me an idea.

  “Min,” I said. “What if we could do an act together?”

  “I don’t know if there’s a jacket big enough to fit us both,” he said.

  “No, not be one magician,” I said. “I mean doing a two-person act.”

  He smiled. “That’s not a bad idea. But didn’t Peter say he only wanted solo acts for the show?”

  “Maybe we can convince him to try something different,” I said.

  Min shook his head. “I don’t know. He isn’t really the type to change his mind. Do you you really think we could talk him into it?”

  “Only one way to find out,” I said. “Come on.”

  Chapter Three

  Getting Peter to adjust his casting rule was going to be tough. Somehow I had to make him think that letting two people do one magic act was a good idea. Easier said than done. Peter loved to be in charge of everything and everybody. He had started the magic club, he ran the meetings, and he was putting together our talent show. He was the kind of guy who wanted everything done his way.