Easy Magic
In Balloon Detective (MSRP: $20.00, Murphy's), you hand some cards to a child and ask him or her to secretly select a balloon animal and color. You bring out a balloon and it matches the color that the spectator selected. You twist the balloon into an animal, which also matches the freely chosen sculpture.
The method relies on specialized mind reading cards, which are often found in beginning magic sets. The kit comes with the necessary cards, but the trick requires two passes with the cards, which I find a bit clumsy.
The written instructions are clear and easy to follow. It would have been nice if the cards were laminated. While the cards are good quality, they will wear out with constant use.
Adding Some Pop
Despite the variations that come with the kit, Devin Knight realizes that this is more of a kid-oriented trick and also understand that mind-reading effects often don't impress youngsters who are interested in balloons (he calls it a "guessing game").Thinking of the possibilities as a magician, I think it's easier to simply control the entire situation through various techniques. A similar balloon-related trick that comes to my mind is Tivoli's "Rodin," which is taught on his Tivoliland DVD. Tivoli's effect is more of a prediction with balloons and the revelation itself provides part of the fun. Overall, I think "Rodin" is a better trick.
