Fourth Grade
Worksheets
Sid Fleischman: The Great Magician
Many years ago, a young boy watched a magician perform. It was something that he would never forget. He loved everything about it. It was fun. It was mysterious. It made him think. It amazed him. That boy spent the rest of his days making magic a part of his life. His name was Sid Fleischman.
Sid Fleischman was born in 1920. He was born in New York City but grew up in San Diego, California. He grew up in an average family. He spent his time doing average things. Then, one day, everything changed. Sid was in the fifth grade. He went to a magic show. It was an important moment in his life. The show wasn't just an event to enjoy. It was something that fascinated him. He knew right then that he wanted to become a magician. Young Sid Fleischman went home and got to work. He found books about magic. He used them to learn how to do simple magic tricks. He practiced a lot. He learned harder and harder tricks. As a teenager, he joined a touring magic show. When he was nineteen, he created a handbook of magic tricks. It was published and made into a book. Little did he know he had just started his career as an author.
Sid Fleischman went on to college to study English. During school, he sold short stories to magazines. Later on, he became a reporter for a newspaper. At the same time, he started writing suspense novels. In the stories he created magic tricks with the words that he wrote. He planted clues in unexpected places. He played tricks to disguise the villain. He found ways to catch readers off guard and surprise them.
