By Mack Anderson

Children squealed June 12 as magician Jim Jayes let stuffed snakes fly out of a can into his surprised face. The children at the Albert Lea Public Library scrambled around the floor to collect the plush toys.

Jayes was dressed in a long, green velvet coat with a top hat to match his old-style magic.

“The best part is the children’s laughter. There is a difference between kids sitting on the computer and kids using their imagination while reading,” said the 57-year-old magician.

The Sacramento, Calif., native moved to Austin 17 years ago, but has been an entertainer for 40 years. When he was a young boy, Jayes wanted to work with marionettes but found it difficult at the time. At the age of 20, Jayes joined a circus in California as a clown. He found that his passion was making people of all ages laugh. Since then, Jayes moved to Minnesota. He travels to libraries big and small around the state as a magician.

He is the annual opener of Thursday night events that go on in the Children’s Library during the Summer Reading Program. This year he has a second show, on July 17, with the marionettes Punch and Judy.

He said he pulled many of his tricks from old books or fellow magicians who have done them for years. On June 12, he had tricks like two ropes magically turning into three and instead of a rabbit and a stuffed chicken pulled out of a hat. Some tricks required assistants. The children pulled coins out of the magician’s ear or held rings that would magically hook together by hitting them together.

Jayes said he wanted to engage the kids in the show and for them to feel like it was their show.

Every Thursday, the Albert Lea Public Library has events to get children involved with the library. The events start at 2 and 3 p.m. The reading program encourages kids to read throughout the summer by handing out small prizes every time a child reads five books.

“Reading is so vital to success of children,” said children’s librarian Patty Greibrok. “Even though the prizes are small, it motivates the kids to read all summer long.”

Greibrok has been the children’s librarian for 14 years. She said that Jayes has performed his magic routine every year since she started there. She believes the program gives young kids a head start on reading, and it helps kids in school by keeping reading during the summer so they can feel confident for the next school year. The Thursday afternoon events and Summer Reading Program are geared toward kids of all ages to help them excel in school and find a love for reading that stays with them for the rest of their life.