A Magician’s Flower

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Written and illustrated by Marika Maijala

Translated from the Finnish by Mia Spangenberg

Willow, her poet-friend Aspen, and Eulalia (her faithful chicken) find a mysterious seedling in a neglected corner of their greenhouse. Unable to identify the sprout from their plant guide, they name it Raisin—after a tiny but clever creature from one of Aspen’s poems. Each morning Willow races to the greenhouse with her watering can, yet Raisin remains small as ever. Hoping the salt air will usher new growth, the two friends strap Raisin snugly to their basket and cycle to the bustling seashore. Traversing the world with determination and spirit, Aspen and Willow set out on a quest to help Raisin grow.

A Magician’s Flower invites young readers to befriend nature and find joy in the many-colored details around them. Marika Maijala’s bold lines illuminate this enchanting tale of friendship, exploration, and courage for readers ages 5-9.

 

Coming on July 8, 2025.

 

Praise

  • The whimsical, abstract art, executed in broad, playful, childlike strokes of oil pastel and crayon, add to the story’s sense of innocent adventure and discovery. The absence of black outlines in the joyful and expressive illustrations lends a sense of fluidity in keeping with the storyline. The large trim size begs readers to notice small details about the people (who are diverse in skin tone and hair color) and bustling background scenes. Spangenberg’s translation reads smoothly, capturing the poignancy of Rosie’s tale and the juxtaposition between her urgent flight to freedom and the ordinary lives unfolding around her. A touching, optimistic, and charmingly rendered story of hope and resilience.

    — Kirkus Reviews, starred review, for Rosie Runs
  • This story by Finnish creator Maijala offers many pleasures: riveting, sustained motion; the suspense of wondering whether Rosie will be captured; and acute observations (a tethered circus pony “neighs in longing as Rosie runs by”). A series of wide-angle views roughly stroked in crayon-like colors give a mosaic feel to Rosie’s flat-out dash for freedom in this triumphant escape story.

    — Publishers Weekly, starred review, for Rosie Runs
  • The text and illustrations brilliantly create momentum while encompassing the reader in Rosie’s world through all the senses — for example, from feeling the air as she leaps away from the race track to the eventual moss under her feet.

    — Michelle Nott, author of Teddy, Let’s Go!, for Rosie Runs