Marvellous the Great Magician

 Marvellous the Great Magician is a  children’s book series for elementary age levels. The first book is an  introduction to Marvellous and is titled “Marvellous the Great  Magician.” The subsequent books take Marvellous on various adventures;  the second book is titled “Marvellous Solves a Riddle”; the third  “Marvellous Goes Green on TV” and the fourth "Marvellous Becomes a Pop  Star". World Book Publishing, a publisher specializing in Arabic  language books based in Beirut Lebanon, has been granted the rights to  publish the first book in Arabic only and will be released in the Middle  East and Gulf markets in February 2011. The series however is  originally written in English.
 

Marvellous is not your regular  magician. He doesn’t have any fancy tricks up his sleeve, doesn’t pull  bunnies out of a hat, but what he can do is make his mom feel special,  make her heart melt, and help her sleep better at night. Despite their  obvious differences and where they come from, Marvellous’ love brings  them closer together. And that, his mom says, is magical.
 

 Marvellous the Great Magician is about a smart, funny, and caring little  Lebanese boy named Marvellous (Marvel for short) who was adopted by a  most wonderful and loving American woman, Mrs. Heart. In this book,  Marvel takes us on a human journey and tells us about living with a  loving mom from the US. Through Marvel’s sense of humor, we discover the  power of human connection and how love and compassion are key in  bridging the gap between East and West. Most of all, it is a story about  love having magical powers in every household, wherever you are in the  world. The subsequent books in the series follow Marvel on various  experiences and teach valuable lessons. This book series is a great  supplement to a 2nd-3rd grader’s schooling, and educates children about  love, courage, tolerance, and environmental and social issues. Every  book starts with the same paragraph introducing Marvellous as an adopted  child with a loving mother, who acts like a real mom and every book  ends with Marvellous’ trademark expression “And to me, that’s magic.”
 

When I was working as a 3rd grade teacher in one of Beirut’s most  prominent schools, I was inspired by the children’s stories, their  problems at home, and their need for guidance. The book is hence also  educational. Elements of Geography (East and West), Mathematics (long  stories, short stories, measurements, and solving riddles), and Science  (magnets, environment) are all present and the book also helps to  develop better language and critical thinking (how people can connect)  skills.
 

I imagine the illustrations in the book to offer an  added magical element through exaggerated humor. The Marvelous book  series relies heavily on hyperbole in its illustrations to enhance both  the comedic effect and the meaning behind the stories. It is for this  reason I included the illustrations in the submission: they need to be  funny and colorful. When Mrs. Heart’s heart POPS with joy at the touch  of Marvel’s hand, for example, the illustrations show her heart popping  like popcorn. The illustrations spark the imagination of the children  reading the book and depict the magic of the Marvelous experience.
 

The readers of these books are well-exposed children between 6 to 8  years old, as well as involved caregivers who are eager to spend quality  time connecting with their child. The books speak to adoption trends,  and teach children to embrace social, cultural, and domestic  differences. 

To every child with a dream,
 

To the children of the world, 

There is one thing that grows with us from the very first time we see the light of the world, wherever we are in this small globe, whoever we are in this vast humanity. 

As we grow, it does, nourished by the many fragments of love in every corner on this planet. 

It is the answer of a question first, then it becomes the mission of our life. It is the gift bestowed upon each one of us. It is, “The Dream." 

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” 

Here begins the journey, with a thought of something that does not
exist, but only with our persistence shall it be one day a reality we
live. 

Marvelous had a dream, he then took on a mission that I invite you to join. As you travel with Marvelous around the world, remember, nothing in life is impossible. When possibilities are redefined, our world is a better place.