The Magic Leaf by Mary Feliciani

The Synopsis:

The 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.

I received this book from the author for the purpose of this review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.

Review:

The Magic Leaf is a book that illustrates the power of friendship amidst the trials of everyday life, on a level that is suitable for kids of course.

It begins with one young man as he travels to work everyday and how tired he is. He dreads every work day because of the weight of his pack and the length of his trip, but then his friend gives him a “magic leaf” to make his weight lighter and the trip shorter. As the two friends travel, the weight does seem lighter and the trip shorter, but it is because of their friendship, not because of the leaf.

I really liked the simplicity of this message. The sentences were short, to the point and illustrated with unique pictures. It leaves room to talk about each page if it’s read aloud, and could easily become a discussion topic for a lesson in school. The setting being in another country (Italy) also holds promise for a lesson.

Overall, I was pleased with The Magic Leaf, and give it 4 out of 5 stars.