Real Magic Inside

Real Magic Inside the pages of Becoming Jesse

We are born with Real Magic Inside us. It is our Light shining within. And you can find your magic again in the pages of Becoming Jesse. Just open the book and fall into the pages. It’s not the magic of wands or potions you’ll find. It’s our real, everyday magic. Our Light. Just look for it! You’ll find it, even in the dark. You can’t miss it!

My visit to present my book, Becoming Jesse, happened to take place on a cold, wet, grey, rainy day, yet … you could feel it. The glow! Right in the classroom. In the air. All around us. The glow! The school children were full of it! Excited. Anticipating. Like sitting down at a hungry dinner table! Their faces were alight – eyes curious – smiles wondering, Oh to meet a real author!

Becoming the Magic

Before I read aloud to the children, we talked about the magic of Becoming. They knew, it’s all about growing, learning, developing. And they understood right away. It’s the magic we are all born with: our Light shining out in their bright eyes and grinning in their cheeks.

Light Lessons

I brought my Light Stick , with its little Christmas-sy lights inside. When I showed them there was no switch to turn it on, they looked perplexed. Well, How do we turn it on?

Ah! The only way to turn it on is with our real magic – our inner-Light-energy!

In the moment that we made our full human connection – with the Light Stick, flashing its bright, colorful Lights – the children’s Oohs and Ahhs were breathtaking! Their bodies leaned in, eager for more!

We had more students join us, holding hands in a circle with the Light Stick between two of them. It worked again!

Yes, it works for all the people with whom you connect!

But, if you let go, your Light goes out! So always keep your Light On! Hold on to your Light. Never let it go.

(For a full demonstration, see my website menu above: Light Stick)

Book Cover Clues

I designed Becoming Jesse‘s book cover with clues as to what the children will meet inside. They wondered about the park setting with city buildings nearby. They took note of the time of day: the setting sun and the twinkling stars. We talked about wishing on a star, and how the cover looks like Jesse is connected to a very big star (kite) – and perhaps he has a very big wish.

The back cover fleshed out Jesse’s character: an orphan boy born in 1947 New York City, who lives a life steeped in the magic of his inner Light. And Jesse has fun and funny adventures in his quest to puzzle-out the mysteries and riddles his mother left for him.

As I sat and opened Becoming Jesse to read aloud, they sat up, already imagining, anticipating the story that would show-off Jess’s Lights.

Story and Illustrations

My illustrations clicked along with my reading – revealing the setting of the New York City apartment house, as well as all the children and families who help make Jesse’s life an adventure.

Unflappable Jesse solves problems and puzzles, joining in whiz-bang, zip-zooming fun, and shining his Light, even in a hair-raising escapade.

The chapter ends as the day wears on to evening, and Jesse’s love of the ‘lovey-doveys’ sets him agog at the surprising fun of a dancing, ‘lovey-dovey’ couple. (The students giggled and grinned, shaking their heads at that.)

I was deeply gratified when the story ended with their resounding applause.

Questions

The children had interesting and probing questions for me. What are those two medals on the front cover? Which books do you like to read that are filled with Light? Can you tell us what it means to be in the dark? Have you written other books? Do you have Youtube videos? What is your favorite children’s book that is not written by you? When did you decide to become a writer? How did that happen? For how long have you been writing? Where did you get the idea for writing about Jesse? And … where do you get your ideas when you write?

Puzzles

That last question was a perfect segue to describe a bit more of the story of Becoming Jesse.

I held up a small box made out of Legos.

When one of our grandsons was 7 years old, he built this box out of Legos. But it had a secret. There was something rattling inside the box, yet there was no opening – no lid – no way to get inside.

I turned the box over and all around to show the children. Then step-by step, I demonstrated how Jesse puzzled-out the solution.

Years ago, when our grandson showed me the trick, my eyes just about popped out of my head – and so it was with the students before me! How they gasped as the drawer slowly opened before their very eyes!

That little box became a big part of Jesse’s ongoing story of how he loves to solve puzzle after puzzle. And the secret of that box became a chapter in my book.

Jesse’s Fun

Jesse loves words. He makes up his own – like “giggle-snickers” – “blabber-gab” – “brillish” – “diggity-boo!”. But he also scrambles his words in different ways.

Oh how the children exploded with laughter as they tried Jesse’s Tongue Twisters: selfish shellfish – red leather yellow leather – and more!

Jesse also easily creates Spoonerisms: he switches the beginning letters of two words – to hilarious effect: Let me sew you to your sheet (instead of: Let me show you to your seat.)

It was a fun and funny activity with the children – who were very good at it, by the way! But we ran out of time!

Exiting the room, they put a big smile on my face as they repeated one of Jesse’s Spoonerisms for “Bye all!” They all waved and grinned, saying, “Eye ball!”