Review: The Magic Leaf

“The Magic Leaf” is a story about true friendship. The story follows Carlo, a young boy who has to walk up a mountain to bring food and drinks to his father and many other men that work on top of the mountain. One day Carlo complained to his friend Marco that he was tired of walking up the mountain. He felt that the trip was way too long and his load he had to carry was way too heavy. Carlo’s friend Marco knew just what to do to help his friend. Marco promised to walk with Carlo up the mountain and he also gave Carlo a magic leaf. This leaf would help shorten Carlo’s trip up the mountain and it would also lighten his load. All the way up the mountain the boys laughed and joked and before they knew it they where there. Carlo felt that the magic leaf did the job but Marco laughed and said it was just a regular leaf and having a good friend helped Carlo along the way. I think this is a very sweet story about how you can lose track of time when your around people you care about. I also think this story can help show young kids that if you put your mind to something you can do it. At first, Carlo didn’t think he could make it up the mountain but when he started thinking positive thoughts he reached the top of the mountain faster than he ever did before.

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About the book

This book is about a small town boy who learns the value of friendship. A medieval, Italian town named Roseto serves as the backdrop. The beautiful and colourful illustrations – all done in paper collage style – depict different parts of the town and journey. Although, the story unfolds in a different time and place, the message is universal and timeless.

About the author

Mary is a Canadian author, independent publisher and an elementary school teacher. She attended UTM where she studied psychology and still lives in Mississauga, Ontario.

Mary’s background in psychology, work with children and passionate interest in the human condition, which stems back as far as she can remember, are all evident in her writing.

About writing she says:

"Writing is a way of communicating with people on a large scale, and yet it is an individualized experience for each reader. When I write I feel as though I am speaking to that one person, one-to-one."

"Writing is a way to connect, to say things you might not be able to say in person, or ever have the opportunity to discuss. It's both cathartic and introspective. It forces you to search corners of your mind that you might not access in any other way."

"I only write when I feel like writing. I only feel like writing when I have something to say. And there isn't any use in saying anything unless it's the truth; the way you see it."

Mary is as passionate about traveling as she is about writing:

"Traveling isn't just about adventure. It fosters an appreciation of other cultures and facilitates the recognition that every country has been influenced by other countries. You not only see the differences, you see the similarities. Traveling also gives you the opportunity to see the natural beauty of the world, without the imaginary borders."

For more about Mary and her books see website: mfpublishing.com