Hachette Children’s Group signs Wiseman’s debut children’s book Magic Your Mind Happy

Hachette Children’s Group have acquired Magic Your Mind Happy: Amazing magic tricks for happiness, confidence and calm from psychologist and Magic Circle member professor Richard Wiseman.

World rights were acquired by Anna Martin, senior commissioning editor at Wren & Rook, from Patrick Walsh at PEW Literary.

Magic Your Mind Happy, an “entertaining book [that] will promote key life skills and support mental wellbeing, along with a liberal smattering of magic tricks – all fully illustrated and easy-to-learn”, will be published in paperback in spring 2024.

Professor Wiseman is a psychologist, author and magician who has written several self-development books, created illusion-based YouTube videos, and carried out extensive research into the relationship between magic and wellbeing.

Wiseman recently received the Golden Grolla award for his work on psychology and magic, and has worked with legendary illusionists Derren Brown, David Copperfield, and Penn and Teller. In 2023 he won the David Attenborough Prize and Lecture from the Royal Society.

Martin said: “Richard’s debut children’s book is one of the most exciting mental wellbeing support tools I’ve come across. It combines his two great passions: psychology and traditional magic tricks, and will be one of those books that both kids and adults will love. For kids it will be the awe-inspiring magic tricks they can learn to do themselves, and for parents and carers it’ll be seeing their child’s confidence flourish, with the added bonus of getting them off screens."

Wiseman said: “I have spent several years researching how magic can help children to develop key life skills, including creativity, teamwork, curiosity and resilience. Because of that, it is being taught in hospitals and schools, and I am delighted to bring this important work to a much wider audience.”