As I begin reading A Tricky Kind Of Magic by Nigel Baines
I am curious
I have never read a graphic novel before
We own lots of them
My daughters are obsessed with them
But I have flicked through them
But never really sat and read one
But A Tricky Kind Of Magic appeals to me
Particularly now in 2023
As we hurtle towards the 10th anniversary of our daughter’s death
Because this is a story about loss and grief
This is a story about dealing with the fallout of death
This is a story about learning to live again
Of finding a new normal
It is a love story
A father and son story
It is a story about finding magic when you need it most
A story about believing the impossible
Here I go …
Cooper has lost his Dad
He died suddenly and Cooper is struggling without him
His Dad was great
The Great Eduardo
Electrician by day
Magician by night
He taught Cooper lots of tricks
All the classics
But now Dad has gone
“The Great Eduardo did the worst vanishing trick of all”
Cooper has his kicker
Rabbit De Niro
The rabbit he used to pull out of a hat
Cooper uses jokes and tricks to avoid having to talk about his Dad
Even with his good friend Tori
He struggles with how to be and how to feel
And the people around him struggle to
Not knowing what to say or do, or how to be
I remember this when Tilda died
Lots of our friends just fell away
Many have never come back
Family relationships changed
Those that did stay close
Had to deal with the big feelings that come with loss and grief
Grieving a loved one is hard
And everyone grieves in a different way
Being part of a grieving family navigating life after death
Is really really hard
When Cooper is having a really bad day
His Dad’s rabbit
Rabbit De Niro
Starts to talk
Cooper has PTSD
He thinks the talking rabbit might be an illusion
His brain tricking him or trying to make sense of everything
Cooper cannot deal with the talking rabbit
He puts it in the bin
But somehow the rabbit comes back
And offers to help Cooper find and bring back his Dad
After a few plot twists and turns
Cooper and the rabbit find themselves in a magical wonderland
They follow a trail to The House of Magic
With the help of a new friend
Much like his old friend
Cooper searches for his Dad
And learns all the ways that he is connected to him
Through the things he taught him and the things they did together
I loved this book
A mix of humour and tender moments
A story that shines a light on the pain of grief
And the courage and strength it takes
To learn to live without someone we love
This story in words and pictures shows
The big emotions we feel when grieving
And how they can lead to families and friends misunderstanding one another
There is a lot packed into this graphic novel
I think that this magical story is going to help a lot of young people
Navigate their feelings
Especially after a bereavement or big change in their life
“It is painful when we lose things.
But things we love are different.
Even when we lose them, because we loved
them something stays alive in us.
It really is a magic trick of the best kind.”
A Tricky Kind Of Magic is story filled with thoughts that will help children
Feel connected to lost loved ones
And to the family and friends by their side
A story filled with hope and laughter, love and magic
And lots and lots of rabbits!
I think this was the perfect first graphic novel for me
I am so looking forward to my next graphic novel adventure
And I cannot wait for my girls to meet Cooper!
“REMEMBER, when life gets tough, KEEP LOOKING FOR THE MAGIC.”
