Bound 4 Escape

“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 LHPress.com

Available to buy from…

Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk Barnes and Noble GPlay Paperback Hardcover

My Review

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.

Enjoy our book excerpt

About the Author

Isabella Cassina is a Swiss social worker specialized in International Cooperation and Therapeutic Play. She holds a Master of Arts from The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies IHEID in Geneva, and she is recognized Therapeutic Play Specialist by the Association for Play Therapy Italy APTI. She worked for the Swiss Red Cross as Head of the Social Services in the refugees sector. Isabella has acknowledged significant experience as humanitarian worker, trainer and international speaker. She is co-founder and project manager for INA International Academy for Play Therapy studies and PsychoSocial Projects based in Switzerland, and consultant for the APTI. She has undertaken a Ph.D. in Expressive Arts Therapy in Switzerland..