In 2008 John Breeds released his first book on entertaining children with magic and fun: How to Create Kids' Magic And Triple Your Income. Behind that intriguing title lay a blueprint for commercial success in this field. Immediately upon its release it was widely hailed as a game changer, an important contribution to the literature on entertaining children, and it quickly sold out and went on to become judged a modern classic. Now, 12 years later, John Breeds has observed how much things have changed in a decade; and he realized he had a lot more to say about the nuts and bolts of entertaining children with magic, fun and games. So John has completely revisited and updated his book and added a wealth of new material and advice. He has chosen to release it in the form of six separate booklets, allowing the kids' performer to select which aspects of the craft to focus on, each at an affordable price. Taken together as a set they comprise a text book on the various aspects that go to make the successful professional children's entertainer in the 21st century. Dotted throughout the text are tips and revelations earned from a lifetime of experience on the front line entertaining children for a living: delighting real audiences and dealing with the pitfalls we all encounter on a daily basis. John Breeds clearly knows his stuff, and he's packed this book full of generous pieces of advice and workable material. Gain an insight into one of the UK's great minds in the kids' magic business; working performers who know a good thing when they see it will snap this series of booklets up. Between them, these titles offer you vital inside information on everything you need to build a business as a professional entertainer of children through magic, fun and games: whether you are starting out on the road to kids' entertainment or are a busy pro who recognises that developing your act and performance should be a continuous process. Revered children's entertainers Silly Billy, David Kaye, Christopher Barnes, John Kimmons and Terry Herbert had this to say about John Breeds' publications: "This is an excellent work for anyone who wants to entertain children, whether with magic or without. John will take you by the hand and teach you all you need to know, step by step. Enjoy! This is Volume 4 of the series - Funny Tricks With Clever Bits - John's professional effects, routines, apparatus, and funny bits of business. Word soon spread and this led to Christmas bookings for the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough at Blenheim Palace, for their son James Spencer-Churchill, and Princess Diana and her son Prince Harry. I'm mentioning this not to brag but to emphasize that among important circles my show became known to be different, original and entertaining fun for all. But you too can aspire to finer levels, higher fee income and reputation by aiming to be different rather than just another middle-of-the-road magic man. "FUNNY TRICKS with CLEVER BITS"--FUNNY TRICKS with CLEVER BITS includes the core routines, prop gags and effects from John's lifetime of entertaining children with laughter. Starting with the most complete exploration of the classic 'Silver Sceptre' ever committed to print; another classic 'The Miser's Dream' gets a complete, refreshed overhaul. One of John's standout comedy props when he was a noted dealer, 'Don't Ring That Bell' is here simplified and explained in full, along with a different play-let 'All Aboard' that will generate mayhem onstage; in complete contrast there's the utterly charming 'I Wish, I Wish Competition'. Also John's compete reworking of Kovari's 'Dimishing & Enlarging Gloves'; possibly John's favorite in the booklet is the simplest: his routine for 'T & R Tissue'; 'Kids Comic Cuts' is pure farce with a haircut! Threaded throughout the material like a skein of gold is every inside track on making these routines REALLY come alive: making the props, handling, ideas, gags and kicker finishes galore.