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The Magic Home: A Displaced Boy Finds a Way to Feel Better
The Magic Home is a story for those who believe in magic, to turn fear into bravery and let fantasies run wild! This is a tale of a little boy that lives with his family, plays happily in the courtyard with his brother, sister, a brown dog and a fluffy white rabbit, and cannot wait to start school. Suddenly he has to leave for an unpredictable journey... The Magic Home offers psycho-educational support for children, parents and childhood professionals who are assisting children through the difficult transition of displacement. The author presents a guide for caregivers grounded in the principles of Play Therapy that allows children to be engaged in a dynamic and engaging process based on their capacities and the objectives defined by a caring adult. The book is ideal for easy reading with individuals and groups, and the suggested activities can be used between parent and child, at school, in a healthcare agency or any other place where children spend time. " The Magic Home is an endearing and enduring story of a child's journey to deal with unimaginable feelings of sadness, loss and displacement. This touching story teaches us how to tap into the child's resilience using the healing power of play and expressive arts. The Magic Home is a must-have book for child clinicians, caregivers and child professionals to use with children displaced from their homes, regardless of the situation."
-- Athena A. Drewes, PsyD, MA, RPT-S, founder and president emeritus of the New York Association for Play Therapy. " The Magic Home is a comforting story about a little boy who loses all that is familiar and faces many uncertainties in his new life until he meets Ina, who helps him feel that he is not alone. This gently told story and sweet illustrations offer children who have faced disruptions in their families a sense of control over their circumstances and hope for a brighter future."
-- Sue Bratton, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S, director emerita, Center for Play Therapy at University of North Texas " The Magic Home takes us on a journey that is dealing with loss, adjustment and, most importantly, feelings. This book helps adults help children with big feelings that are hard to understand. The added suggestions on how to use the book and reusable figures are a valuable addition. A delightful and helpful book that helps us all know we have a magic home. "
-- Linda E. Homeyer, PhD, LPCS, RPT-S, distinguished professor emerita and past president of the Association for Play Therapy (APT) board of directors. From Loving Healing Press www.LHPress.com
-- Athena A. Drewes, PsyD, MA, RPT-S, founder and president emeritus of the New York Association for Play Therapy. " The Magic Home is a comforting story about a little boy who loses all that is familiar and faces many uncertainties in his new life until he meets Ina, who helps him feel that he is not alone. This gently told story and sweet illustrations offer children who have faced disruptions in their families a sense of control over their circumstances and hope for a brighter future."
-- Sue Bratton, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S, director emerita, Center for Play Therapy at University of North Texas " The Magic Home takes us on a journey that is dealing with loss, adjustment and, most importantly, feelings. This book helps adults help children with big feelings that are hard to understand. The added suggestions on how to use the book and reusable figures are a valuable addition. A delightful and helpful book that helps us all know we have a magic home. "
-- Linda E. Homeyer, PhD, LPCS, RPT-S, distinguished professor emerita and past president of the Association for Play Therapy (APT) board of directors. From Loving Healing Press www.LHPress.com
52 pages, Hardcover
First published April 18, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 7, 2020
The Magic Home by Isabella Cassina is about a little boy who is going through some big changes in life. The book never specifies exactly what happened, but I like it this way. It allows this book to be used in any transition a child might be going through. Thankfully the little boy's teacher, Ina, is able to help him find a way to release the anxiety and help him cope with the transition he has gone through.
This is a comforting story that offers hope and survival for adults (parents, care givers, mental health professionals, educators etc) and children alike. It offers colorful and delightful pictures to engage kids, and also serves as an insightful guide for all adults offering support to children. You'll find activities in the back of the book that can be done together and offer more help.
This is a great book to have and I highly encourage anybody helping a child through any transition to purchase and utilize it!!
This is a comforting story that offers hope and survival for adults (parents, care givers, mental health professionals, educators etc) and children alike. It offers colorful and delightful pictures to engage kids, and also serves as an insightful guide for all adults offering support to children. You'll find activities in the back of the book that can be done together and offer more help.
This is a great book to have and I highly encourage anybody helping a child through any transition to purchase and utilize it!!
July 7, 2020
This book, in my opinion, could definitely be read to children and used as a tool or resource; as well as a great read for parents, teachers, or other family members to utilize as a tool.
I have zero doubt in my mind that there will certainly be questions that cannot be answered (why did the boy and his mom have to leave the home?) but the lesson behind the story is a great lesson for children going through change – a move, a new school, family changes, anxiety, etc.
The story reminds us that our memories are kept inside our heart, they are not truly ever gone away from us. When we are feeling scared about a move, or nervous to attend a new school, or sad that one parent has moved away, or anxious about something; all we have to do is look inside our “home” (heart) and find those positive memories that make us smile and make us happy. (A reminder I think adults can use too!)
The illustrations are beautiful and are an added bonus to the story.
I don’t think my kids (7, 12 and 14) would read this on their own, but I do think it is something my 7 year old would read with me (or allow me to read to her). I also that my 7 year old’s inquisitive mind would definitely start thinking and asking questions which would open up a great conversation about memories. At times, she struggles with the fact that her grandparents and aunt have moved away to live in different states. Reading this to her and discussing memories and where we store them will definitely be useful for her.
It really is a cute book with a wonderful reminder and beautiful images that is great for all ages.
I have zero doubt in my mind that there will certainly be questions that cannot be answered (why did the boy and his mom have to leave the home?) but the lesson behind the story is a great lesson for children going through change – a move, a new school, family changes, anxiety, etc.
The story reminds us that our memories are kept inside our heart, they are not truly ever gone away from us. When we are feeling scared about a move, or nervous to attend a new school, or sad that one parent has moved away, or anxious about something; all we have to do is look inside our “home” (heart) and find those positive memories that make us smile and make us happy. (A reminder I think adults can use too!)
The illustrations are beautiful and are an added bonus to the story.
I don’t think my kids (7, 12 and 14) would read this on their own, but I do think it is something my 7 year old would read with me (or allow me to read to her). I also that my 7 year old’s inquisitive mind would definitely start thinking and asking questions which would open up a great conversation about memories. At times, she struggles with the fact that her grandparents and aunt have moved away to live in different states. Reading this to her and discussing memories and where we store them will definitely be useful for her.
It really is a cute book with a wonderful reminder and beautiful images that is great for all ages.
July 9, 2020
A very well written and illustrated book to show how children feel and how they all have their special place and special thoughts that they tend to go to when they need help to make them feel safe and secure.
The story starts with how much the routine and familiar sights and sounds means to a young person and then this routine is disrupted when his Mother takes him away from this safe environment.
They set up in a new home and the book expertly describes the young boys fears and emotions showing very strong research in this particular area. The easy writing and pictures make ideal discussion points to find out how a child would feel with such a big chance in their life.
With the change of home comes the biggest challenge of any youngsters life at the start of school and goes through all of the questions a child would have about starting school again making it an excellent tool to help your own child overcome their fears.
The authors research into the behaviour of a child comes to fruition when they actually explain how by having happy thoughts about where your child feels safe and secure can calm them down and help them cope with the major change which is happening in their lives.
Reading this book and looking at the pictures will be a very useful tool to have in your library to share with your child when they are feeling scared or vulnerable as it will encourage them to openly discuss their own fears without feeling pressured to do so.
The story starts with how much the routine and familiar sights and sounds means to a young person and then this routine is disrupted when his Mother takes him away from this safe environment.
They set up in a new home and the book expertly describes the young boys fears and emotions showing very strong research in this particular area. The easy writing and pictures make ideal discussion points to find out how a child would feel with such a big chance in their life.
With the change of home comes the biggest challenge of any youngsters life at the start of school and goes through all of the questions a child would have about starting school again making it an excellent tool to help your own child overcome their fears.
The authors research into the behaviour of a child comes to fruition when they actually explain how by having happy thoughts about where your child feels safe and secure can calm them down and help them cope with the major change which is happening in their lives.
Reading this book and looking at the pictures will be a very useful tool to have in your library to share with your child when they are feeling scared or vulnerable as it will encourage them to openly discuss their own fears without feeling pressured to do so.
July 7, 2020
This is a very heartwarming and comforting book. I think it is a powerful story of resilience that will resonate with kids who are having a difficult time working through their emotions, and uncertainty, especially if they are in care and/or constantly moving.
The Author did a fabulous job with the writing. A lot of kids will love how he turns uncertainty into something positive in his heart.
This is a book every kid should read!
The Author did a fabulous job with the writing. A lot of kids will love how he turns uncertainty into something positive in his heart.
This is a book every kid should read!
June 27, 2020
I chose to read this book after receiving a free copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
The Magic Home is a great book for children who have suffered loss and/or been displaced for any reason. It shows how life can be happy one moment and change the next moment. It’s also a story of hope, though.
The little boy in The Magic Home has to leave with his mom and isn’t given any explanation. He feels signs of anxiety: a crushing feeling in his chest, spinning head, sweaty hands, and weak or trembling legs. Once he starts school and meets his new teacher, things get a lot better. She teaches him that he’s not alone and helps him to deal with his loss through kind words and his love of coloring. With her help, he learns to enjoy life again and realizes that he no longer has those feelings of anxiety!
At the end of the book, there are different types of play therapy that adults can use to help children through the rough times. There are also figures of people that can be colored and used as needed.
The Magic Home looks like a useful tool to help children deal with loss and change.
The Magic Home is a great book for children who have suffered loss and/or been displaced for any reason. It shows how life can be happy one moment and change the next moment. It’s also a story of hope, though.
The little boy in The Magic Home has to leave with his mom and isn’t given any explanation. He feels signs of anxiety: a crushing feeling in his chest, spinning head, sweaty hands, and weak or trembling legs. Once he starts school and meets his new teacher, things get a lot better. She teaches him that he’s not alone and helps him to deal with his loss through kind words and his love of coloring. With her help, he learns to enjoy life again and realizes that he no longer has those feelings of anxiety!
At the end of the book, there are different types of play therapy that adults can use to help children through the rough times. There are also figures of people that can be colored and used as needed.
The Magic Home looks like a useful tool to help children deal with loss and change.
June 30, 2020
Children sometimes have a hard time when a family splits up. This short story will make them feel better and that they can overcome their sorrow by using their minds to remember all the good times. The second part of the book explains play therapy and how to use it to help your child.
If your child is experiencing depression and listlessness or other unexplained symptoms-- read this story to them--then discuss it with them. If they are old enough-let them read it for themselves-but be there to ask questions etc.
It will take no time at all for you to read and comprehend the effectiveness of play therapy to help heal your child-or what the school psychologist or play therapist can do for your child so they can come to grips with how their life has changed.
If your child is experiencing depression and listlessness or other unexplained symptoms-- read this story to them--then discuss it with them. If they are old enough-let them read it for themselves-but be there to ask questions etc.
It will take no time at all for you to read and comprehend the effectiveness of play therapy to help heal your child-or what the school psychologist or play therapist can do for your child so they can come to grips with how their life has changed.
June 30, 2020
The Magic Home offers such valuable insight on how adults can help children going through difficult situations, an uprooting, and/or changes of any kind. Young children have such a hard time accepting change because they do not know what to expect or how to process their feelings. This heartwarming story of bravery and a little magic, with the additional activities and resources in the back of the book will no doubt offer support for young children everywhere!
June 30, 2020
The Magic Home is a good tool to help kids through tough changes. Suddenly moving to a new home can be hard, especially when you leave family and friends behind. It's easy to think of kids as resilient and that they'll just bounce back, but they can be affected just as much if not more than adults. An accessible introduction to play therapy with a great section at the end for adults about play therapy and exercises for using it.
June 15, 2020
A little boy lives with his father, mother, brother, sister, brown dog, and fluffy white rabbit in a small but cozy house. He plays happily in the courtyard and cannot wait to start school. Then one day he and his mother suddenly have to leave on an unpredictable journey for a new home. The little boy is scared, sad, and lonely. From time to time, he can hardly breathe. He feels as if something is pressing on his chest and he has no strength. His head is spinning, his hands are sweating, his legs are trembling, and his appetite is gone. What is the cause of all these symptoms? Is there anything that he can do to help him cope with his feelings? And when it is time for him to go to school, how can Ina his teacher assist him?
The Magic Home is a comforting story that offers psycho-educational support for children, as well as for parents, child clinicians, mental health providers, educators, and other childhood professionals who are assisting children through the difficult transition of displacement with its sense of loss and confusion. In sharing the tale of the little boy, along with sweet illustrations that well support the text, the book presents a guide for caregivers grounded in the principles of Play Therapy. It encourages using the healing power of play and expressive arts which allows children to be engaged in a dynamic and engaging process based on their capacities and the objectives defined by a caring adult.
In the back are suggested activities with reprintable figures that can be used between parent and child, at school, in a healthcare agency, or any other place where children spend time. The reason why the mother and boy have to leave is never explained. However, author Isabella Cassina is a Swiss social worker specialized in International Cooperation and Therapeutic Play who has worked for the Swiss Red Cross as Head of the Social Services in the refugees sector, so one would assume that the material would be applicable to refugee children. I should guess that it might also be useful in family situations of displacement due to abandonment, separation, divorce, or abuse, showing how to tap into the child’s resilience.
The Magic Home is a comforting story that offers psycho-educational support for children, as well as for parents, child clinicians, mental health providers, educators, and other childhood professionals who are assisting children through the difficult transition of displacement with its sense of loss and confusion. In sharing the tale of the little boy, along with sweet illustrations that well support the text, the book presents a guide for caregivers grounded in the principles of Play Therapy. It encourages using the healing power of play and expressive arts which allows children to be engaged in a dynamic and engaging process based on their capacities and the objectives defined by a caring adult.
In the back are suggested activities with reprintable figures that can be used between parent and child, at school, in a healthcare agency, or any other place where children spend time. The reason why the mother and boy have to leave is never explained. However, author Isabella Cassina is a Swiss social worker specialized in International Cooperation and Therapeutic Play who has worked for the Swiss Red Cross as Head of the Social Services in the refugees sector, so one would assume that the material would be applicable to refugee children. I should guess that it might also be useful in family situations of displacement due to abandonment, separation, divorce, or abuse, showing how to tap into the child’s resilience.
July 2, 2020
The Magic Home is a beautifully illustrated book designed for children to help educate them on feelings of loss, loneliness and displacement. It is about a young boy who lives in a loving household with his parents, grandparents and siblings. They have a clear routine of mealtimes, shopping, working and playing etc, and the little boy is happy and content. He looks forward to going to school, and enjoys his family lifestyle with his toys and people surrounding him.
When one day his mother packs a suitcase and leaves the family home taking him with her, he is confused, lonely and feels anxiety in his chest. He is unable to make sense of his thoughts, has no idea why he has moved, and the upheaval has unsettled him entirely. He no longer looks forward to school, mealtimes are no longer the same as he only has his mother as company.
It is only when he attends school and has an adult Ina who is able to help draw upon play therapy to help provide comfort. Does the boy gain control of his thoughts, and it allows the little boy find himself able to settle, move on and remember such a bad experience with fondness and love. Remembering the positives rather than the negatives.
It was a very cleverly composed book which shows the power of a child’s mind and how they can interpret different situations. The book has colouring exercises in the back for other children and to help create a learning exercise when discussing the theme and topic of the book.
A good book for adults and children, and shows the power of taking control of thoughts and feelings and generating a more positive outlook from play therapy.
When one day his mother packs a suitcase and leaves the family home taking him with her, he is confused, lonely and feels anxiety in his chest. He is unable to make sense of his thoughts, has no idea why he has moved, and the upheaval has unsettled him entirely. He no longer looks forward to school, mealtimes are no longer the same as he only has his mother as company.
It is only when he attends school and has an adult Ina who is able to help draw upon play therapy to help provide comfort. Does the boy gain control of his thoughts, and it allows the little boy find himself able to settle, move on and remember such a bad experience with fondness and love. Remembering the positives rather than the negatives.
It was a very cleverly composed book which shows the power of a child’s mind and how they can interpret different situations. The book has colouring exercises in the back for other children and to help create a learning exercise when discussing the theme and topic of the book.
A good book for adults and children, and shows the power of taking control of thoughts and feelings and generating a more positive outlook from play therapy.
May 25, 2020
A compassionate story that can apply to any child who has been forcibly displaced from their home, whether it be from war, disease, ethnic conflict, poverty, or child-protective services. Here is hope and love for those children. Includes exercises therapists can use to drive the discussion.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews