The Magic Beads

by Susin Nielsen, Geneviève Côté (Illustrator)

Simply Read Books

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Poverty

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 28, 2007

About the author

Susin got her start feeding cast and crew on the popular television series, Degrassi Junior High. They hated her food, but they saw a spark in her writing. Nielsen went on to pen sixteen episodes of the hit TV show. Since then, Nielsen has written for over 20 Canadian TV series. Her first young adult novel, Word Nerd, was published in 2008 to critical acclaim. It won multiple Young Readers’ Choice Awards, as did her second novel, Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom. Her third novel, The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen, was published in August 2012. It went on to win the Governor General’s Literary Award, the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award, the Canadian Library Association’s Children’s Book of the Year Award, and a number of Young Readers’ Choice Awards. Author Wally Lamb named it his top YA pick for 2012 in his “First Annual Wally Awards,” and recently Rolling Stone magazine put it at #27 in their list of “Top 40 Best YA Novels.”
Her books have been translated into multiple languages. Susin’s new novel, We Are All Made of Molecules, will be published in Canada, the US and the UK in Spring of 2015. She lives in Vancouver with her family and two naughty cats. She is delighted to have finally figure out how to "claim" her author profile on Goodreads!

Reviews

[J.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brought tears to my eyes. 7-year-old Lily lives in a shelter with her mother because they left her father, who is violent and abusive. In a new classroom in a new school in a new city, Lily struggles to fit in. Her first day, she finds out she will have to share in “Show-and-Tell” on Friday. As she watches other students throughout the week share about their fabulous toys, she worries more and more. She doesn’t have any toys to share—she and her mom left all her toys behind when they left her dad. On Friday when she gets up, she shares about her magic beads—the one toy she has left. The beads can become almost anything she wants—a leash with which to lead around her pet elephant, a wand to cast a spell on evil wizards, etc. The kids in her new classroom respond enthusiastically to Lily’s simple (but imaginative) toy and Lily feels like life is going to be okay again. Nielsen-Fernlund did just a fabulous job of exactly what I talk about in my long paper—instead of trying to address the issue of broken families and domestic violence with some kind of didactic message, she demonstrates how those concerns aren’t as important to a child dealing with them as the immediate need to feel accepted in her new classroom. Yet the backdrop of domestic violence serves as a really critical part of the story.

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well crafted book with a 2nd grade main character who is living with her mom in a shelter to get away from an abusive father. I particularly wanted to put it here on my Goodreads account because the cataloging doesn't include any clue that this deals with domestic or family violence, and I wanted to be able to find it again when I need it. I particularly like the way the main characters tummy butterflies turn into other things to show us just how nervous she is.

[Allison Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lillian lives in a shelter with her mom. Her school is doing show and tell and she is worried about her turn because she feels she won't have anything cool to share. As it turns out her imagination is a great thing to share with her class.

I was very moved by this story. My husband is a director for our local homeless shelter and this story is very accurate about life in a shelter and feelings kids have while living in a shelter. I live next door to the shelter that my husband directs and my kids love to play outside with the kids who stay there and it absolutely is true that they have good imaginations and can create ways to escape their current difficult living situation.

[M'Kinna Burrus · Rating 4 out of 5]

The magic beads is a story about a seven-year-old girl who recently moved into a refuge with her mother because they had left her abusive father. She is going to a new school, in a new town and finds out she is going to have to bring something for show and tell. After seeing what her classmates are bringing in, she is crippled with anxiety knowing she left all her things at her old house. Her imagination and creativity solve her crisis.

[Helen Kuil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author. This is a perfect book for all counsellors, parents and women’s refuges to use. We use this book in the ‘Safe from the Start’ project - in a toolkit for working with children who have experienced domestic violence. See project pictures of kit: www.salvationarmy.org.au/safefromthes...

[Ana Ruiz-Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published in 2007, this nonfiction picturebook is about a young girl and how she overcomes her anxiety of seemingly not having anything to share for show-and-tell after moving into a shelter. Though this story touches on some sensitive topics, this story might serve as a window/mirror book for students going through something similar.

[Ally Vestal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for children that shows how a young girl overcame her anxiety. This book touches on sensitive topics such as domestic abuse and broken families.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was pretty surprised that this book came right out and talked about a girl who is living at a shelter because her dad used to hit her mom and hurt her, etc...but wow did I love that! Real issues! I am a big believer in educating my kids on all such issues as young as possible cause this is the world we live in and I don't want sheltered, naive children. And this book was fair and accurate as it talked about how the girl still missed her dad and the times he was nice and their nice home and things. Another great therapy kind of book.

[Emkoshka · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as part of a training session on working with children who have been affected by family violence. This is a sweet and sad story about a girl who lives in a refuge with her mother and is consumed by anxiety at having to present at show and tell at school. How will she compete with kids with scooters and expensive toys when she has had to leave all her toys behind and start a new life? Ah, the power of imagination.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Themes: being the new kid, living in a women's shelter to escape aabuse

[Travis Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would use this book to talk about building a classroom community and accepting everyone as they are.

[Jennybeast · Rating 4 out of 5]

School, show and tell, clever illustrations and a child in transitional housing. Pretty great, very moving.

[Ashli Harper]

The Magic Beads by Susin Nielson is a story that touches on the topic of family shelters. 7 year old Lillian is about to experience first hand the struggles she will face coming from a house to a shelter. Her mom has been abused by her father and decides to leave. However she has no where to go so they must stay a family shelter for a little while. Lily isn't that affected until her class has show and tell. when her mother left her father she also left everything they owned with him. Lilly had absolutely nothing to bring to class. The story is so great because it shows a younger making the best out of a sad situation. Teaches students to find the best out of every situation. Also for those who don't know what a shelter is this book kind of gives a little insight into just what it's like to live their. There might be kids in class that have actually been through this same situation so I think it's a really great read.