From The Magical Life of

JUSTIN FLOM
By Scott Flom & Judy Flom Hill
Illustrated By Drew Blom
Adventures of a Kid Magician

Copyright © 2015 Magical Life, LLC.

Published by Magical Life, LLC.

16896 Weston Bay Rd.
Eden Prairie, MN 55347
www.AdventuresOfAKidMagician.com

ISBN: 978-0-692-51256-2

All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in printed reviews, no part
of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means (printed, written, photocopied,
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publisher.

Cover design: Drew Blom

Illustrations and Art Direction: Drew Blom, www.DrewBlom.com
Interior design and typeset: Katherine Lloyd, www.TheDESKonline.com

Stock or custom editions may be purchased in bulk for educational,

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please e-mail info@akmbook.com

Printed in the United States of America

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 ADVENTURES
OF A KID MAGICIAN
CAUTION: MAGIC AND SECRETS ENCLOSED!!!

i! I’m Zach and I’m so excited that you are

H reading my journal! I can’t wait to share
some of the adventures of my life and the
“secrets” of the magic that are such a big
part of each crazy adventure!
It’s pretty cool that my uncle, my dad, and so
many of my friends are magicians, because

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I’ve been able to experience the joy and
wonder that magic brings to all who are fortunate
to have it as a part of their life experience. I’m
older now and, believe it or not, magic has taken
me around the world and in front of literally
millions of people! I even get to be on TV.
I want you to become a part of our magic
family, so please enjoy the adventures! At the
end of each adventure you can solve a fun
riddle. It will give you a secret magic code that
will unlock the online video and teach you how
to do the magic used in my adventures. I am
so excited to personally teach you how you can
“wow” your friends and family. Be prepared, as
it could really change your life!
These adventures have really taught me some
important life lessons too! I hope they will help
you dodge and dash through the challenges
life throws at you. Life is a team sport, and I
want to be on your team!!! So hold on! The
ADVENTURES start now!!
Make Magic & Share Joy!
Zach Taylor (AKA Justin Flom)
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 THE MOST FAMOUS
DOUBLE DOG DARE

S ven Johnson’s Guernsey, Daisy, had just

plopped down a freshly made pie when
Billy Baxter’s ear–splitting screech caused
the contented cow to stop grazing, swivel her
head around, and train her big brown eyes
directly on us.

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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

Good thing Sven’s prize–winning bull was

nowhere in sight, because the only thing
separating the bull and Billy the bully was
an electric fence. I’ll leave it to you to judge
whether or not Billy got what was coming to
him on that fateful day, but not until you have
heard the whole story.

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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

For the record, I’m Zach Taylor, the new kid in

the sixth grade class at Sunny Hollow Middle
School. I don’t know if you know this, but
middle school is a real scary place. Because
I was home–schooled for the first ten years
of my life, I wasn’t used to being physically
attacked between English and Math class.
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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

Now, every day I take a risk walking down

long, shadowy hallways where Billy Baxter
lurks, ready to leap out from behind a locker
and trap me in a humiliating horse–collar.
Just last Monday Billy promised to wrap my
underwear around my head if I crossed him.

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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

Who would believe that underwear could

actually stretch that much? I should warn
the underwear company. They could get
sued for selling a potentially dangerous
weapon.

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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

Just so you know whom I’m up against, Billy

Baxter has bullying down to a science. Plus,
he has really bad breath –– which alone could
bring a guy down. He’s not that tall, but he has
a belly that could qualify him for the role of
Santa Claus in the school Christmas program,
and his chubby cheeks could easily hold a
dozen Double Stuf Oreo Cookies.
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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

It’s unfair that my mom and dad don’t

take my complaints seriously. I think that
parents forget that being a sixth grader
is like serving a tour of duty in a gladiator
ring. The lambs have to face down the lions
and an amphitheater full of cheering kids
watching to see who gets whipped and who
lives to fight another day.

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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

But back to what happened that day in

Mr. Johnson’s pasture. After my mother
found out what I had done, she considered
marching me straight to juvenile hall, but
after talking with my dad she went for
something less drastic: JOURNALING.
She decided that if I recorded my every
thought –– good and evil –– in a stupid journal,
it would build my character and serve as a
reminder of my past mistakes. She didn’t say
stupid mistakes, because that word would
lower my self–esteem, which was already at
rock bottom. She insisted that I write the
journal in longhand, in ink, and preferably
on a parchment scroll, so I couldn’t rewrite
history.
I finally convinced her to let me keep the
journal on my computer, so at least I could

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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

play with the text and add some pictures. A

shot of Billy wallowing knee deep in cow pies
would be worth a few laughs, and I could really
use a little more humor in my life right now.
Now that you understand my state of mind,
here’s the problem: I have a body that God
kind of skimped on. My muscles are the size
and texture of marshmallows, and I’m two
inches shorter than most of the girls in my
class. That would be enough to make a guy
insecure, but when I look in the mirror all I
see are ears and teeth big enough to polish
off an ear of corn in seconds.
Also, we can put a man on the moon, use
our phones to have video chats, but no one
has found a foolproof way to get rid of
pimples!

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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

When I get to heaven I need to ask God what

his plan was with these face “land mines.”
The good news is that the dots are dwindling.
One lesson to learn if you’re a skinny new guy
who writes in a journal, you had better be
as secretive as James Bond 007, or you will
look like a nerd in the eyes of Angela Harris,
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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

who is pretty enough to audition for Bond’s

leading lady in a few years. From what I hear,
she has a crush on Jeremy McKeaver, who is
one of those popular kids who was born to
succeed.
Girls light up like Christmas trees when he
speeds by in his $150 tennis shoes, flashing
his perfect white, normal–size teeth, which
he probably flosses after every meal.

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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

Now, I’m not slow by any means, and my

teeth look pretty good now that I got my
braces off. My mom says I will even be
handsome, once I grow into my ears and
teeth, so I think I could have a chance with
Angela, once she sees my super–fast fingers
producing eye–popping magic tricks.
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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

An idea started forming in my head. It

could solve my problems with Billy, and maybe
get Angela to finally notice me. Billy didn’t
know it, but he was about to make me one of
the most popular kids in school. Unfortunately,
even the coolest of plans have consequences.
The plan started to come together when Billy
caught up with my buddies, Joey and Brady,
and me as we were walking home from school.

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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

I suggested we take a short cut through old

man Johnson’s pasture at the edge of town,
avoiding all the fresh «pies» the cows were
busy «cooking» up. I decided that this was
my best chance.
It was risky, because Billy wasn’t as dumb as
he looked, but I had to try.
“Billy,” I said, “I double dog dare you to
pee on Mr. Johnson’s electric fence.”
At first he seemed puzzled, although what
could be confusing about suggesting such
a daring adventure? Did I need to draw
him a picture? It took him a minute or so to
consider, but finally he agreed to take me
up on my dare. After all, he had a macho
reputation to keep and the guys were
watching to see that he didn’t wimp out.

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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

The deal was on, but Billy said he would only

do it if I went first. I knew what Billy was
thinking. If I started to sizzle like a steak on
the barbecue, he would end up looking like
the smart one.

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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

So okay, I approached the buzzing, pulsing

wires, striding through the tall pasture
grass. I looked around to make sure no girls
were in sight. Then Zzzzipppp.... My friends
waited behind me anxiously waiting for the
“fireworks” to begin.

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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

What Billy and my friends didn’t know was

that I was not actually going to pee on the
fence! Preparing myself for the perfect
opportunity, I had cleverly stuffed my new
magic trick in my pocket: a device that would
only make it seem like I had actually done it.
The ingenious plan was in place. Now all I
had to do was play the role of my life.
I was as cool and calm as if I were standing
in the boys’ bathroom at school, doing what
comes naturally.

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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

Of course there was no electric fence in front

of the boys’ urinal, but that little detail wasn’t
a deal breaker for a cool dude like me. I
readied myself and took my best shot.
Sparks flew everywhere, and I shook like I
had been zapped with a stun gun.
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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

Screaming in pretend pain, I allowed Billy

and my buddies to believe I had done the
unthinkable...peed on an electric fence that
kept an eight–hundred–pound bull contained!
Despite the “pain” I had apparently
just endured, I pulled up my zipper and
approached the guys with the swagger of
an Olympic Medal winner.

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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

Billy scowled as the guys gave me high fives,

in awe of their friend’s extreme bravery. He
couldn’t chicken out now or his reputation
would be in the toilet –– literally.
His face was rosy red and shiny with sweat.
Fear had replaced bluster and his hands
shook as he tried to unzip his pants.

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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

His common sense was probably urging Billy

to delay, delay, but his pride was urging him
forward in readiness for what would be a pain
he could only imagine. The rest of us started
the countdown. Five, four, three, two, one.

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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

With a determination and strength even Billy

didn’t know he possessed, he aimed and
hit the electric fence with a steady stream.
Too bad that stream was no match for the
unrelenting fence.
Time stood still. Billy didn’t. He fell flat on
his face in slow motion 3D. He rolled around,
moaning and gasping for air.

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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

“Should we call 911?” Joey asked, looking a

little pale.
“What would we tell them?” I asked. “Where’s
the crime? Where’s the victim? Billy took the
dare with his own free will. Besides, urinating
on a fence isn’t a felony,” I said, displaying
my vast knowledge of criminology.
Billy lay there looking up at the blue sky,
probably wondering if he had made an
unscheduled trip to heaven. I have to admit
being a little afraid that my trick had accom–
plished more than I intended, because I sure
didn’t think Billy was ready for heaven.
His eyes started to focus, and his limbs
loosened up a bit. He finally remembered
where he was. In obvious discomfort, he put
everything back in its place and pulled up
his zipper.
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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

As he slowly came to his feet, he

looked at me as if I were a monster, which
I guess I was if you really think about it
–– which I had not –– until now. If looks could
kill, I was dead meat. I was going to die in a
pasture with a cow pie for my headstone.
Instead of punching me out, he took a deep
breath and said,

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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

“Zach Taylor, you are the bomb! You must be

Superman to be able to take that pain and
still keep standing! I will be in awe of you
forever!”
With that, the other guys burst out in
cheers, and for a moment I thought they
were going to lift me on their shoulders like
the star of the Homecoming football game.
We joined arms and began to walk back down
the dusty road, unable to stop laughing at
how Billy had been “frozen to the fence.”
It was one of those priceless moments we
all would talk about forever. Well, maybe Billy
would one day have a convenient memory
lapse.
There was only one little problem. Do I let
them all believe I’m the “Superman” who can

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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

withstand the ultimate pain? I could be known

as Super Kid, able to withstand a thousand
volts of electricity.
It would be great for me...but maybe more
humiliating for Billy than he realized. He
would be the guy who chose to faint instead
of taking the pain like a man. This was a
dilemma I hadn’t foreseen.
That’s when I remembered what my dad had
told me when he taught me my first magic
trick. Magicians have a code. They never tell
someone how to do a trick, because it wrecks
the fun for them.
But in this case, the guys didn’t really know
I did a magic trick. They thought it was real!
I guess the bottom line is that what I really

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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

want to do is entertain people with my magic

tricks, not deceive them or hurt them.
There was my answer...I had to tell them. You
can’t have your friends running around short–
circuiting electric fences!
“Hey guys, can we stop for a minute? I have
a confession to make. This has been one of
the best moments in my life, but I have to
be honest with you. Billy is the hero, not me.
I used one of my special magic tricks to
make it look like I was receiving the electrical
fireworks, but Billy actually did.”

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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

Then I showed them my special gimmick that

made the sparks fly.

What happened next is proof that there is a

God! Everyone was looking at Billy, waiting
for his fist to take out a mouthful of my
teeth. Again, time stood still. Then Billy let
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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

out the biggest laugh I’ve ever heard. After

a stunned moment, we joined in the laughter.
“Like I said, Zach Taylor, you are the bomb!
That was the best trick I’ve ever seen in my
life! I think you’re going to be my new best
friend!”

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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

Billy was proud that he was the guy that peed

on an electric fence and lived to tell about it!
He had been tricked into it, but he had taken
the dare like a man.

SHOCKING day to make new friends!

#doubledaresuccess #bestdayever #newfriends

News spread through the middle school like a

five–alarm fire! Everyone thought that was the
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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

greatest double dog dare ever pulled off!

Suddenly the hallway wasn’t scary, but instead
it was like a victory parade route complete
with high fives and pats on the back! Even the
teachers were congratulating me for turning
Billy into a friend in such a clever way. Mom
and Dad would sure be surprised to hear
that. Wait until they find out how.
With the huge crowd chanting, “Show us some
magic! Show us some magic!” I pulled out a
couple of my favorite card tricks.

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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

They were blown away! I couldn’t believe the

power of these simple tricks and how much
enjoyment they showered on the people
who witnessed them. That moment would be
locked forever into my magic “brain vault”
and I could pull it out whenever I needed a
little boost.
To my disbelief even Angela wanted to hear
the details personally. I didn’t think she even
knew my name! I’ll write more about Angela
later!
Well, that was my first real “ Magic Adventure,”
but it certainly was not my last. Good or bad, my
magic stunts have gotten me both in and out of
trouble. But each time I learned an important
life lesson. This time I learned the truth would
set me free, and even a bully can mellow out and
be a not so bad guy.

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 The Most Famous Double Dog Dare

I’m excited to share more of these adventures,

but don’t tell my mom that. She may get
the idea that I actually like journaling on my
computer.
DISCLAIMER: Do NOT pee on an electric fence!
It is very dangerous and dramatically lowers the
cows’ opinion of you.

Next Adventure Loading.....

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 Adventures of a Kid Magician

What was
Sven Johnson's
cow's name?
_ _ _ _ _

Go to AKMBook.com and answer the

question on my computer screen to unlock
your private online instruction. I’ll show you
how to do the exciting tricks in this adventure.
Understand, I’m a little older in the video
now, but I remember this special day like it
was yesterday!
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