Birds, Illustrated by Color Photography was a monthly publication of the Nature Study Publishing Company of Chicago. It includes short poems, anecdotes and factual descriptions of birds with accompanying color plates. The magazine was published from 1897-1907 under the various titles, "Birds," "Birds and all Nature," "Nature and Art" and "Birds and Nature." Later issues were expanded to include animals, plants, etc.

Joe Strong was a favorite hero and could ride any horse, juggle most anything, and climb buildings, all with a steel reserve. He was the child of unique parents: a mother that rode trick horses and a magician for his father. However, in Horatio Alger fashion, by age five, he was without either parent. So he grew up in a circus and Joe Strong, the Boy Wizard relates a time in his life as he dabbles in magic!