The Magic Ticket - by David Hicks (Paperback)

About the Book

After the death of his sister, a young boy finds solace in the world of books as he learns to cope with his profound loss.

Book Synopsis

A story of the emotional growth of a young boy who grapples with the unimaginable death of his sister but who finds solace in libraries and books.

When his beloved sister dies and his parents are too grief-stricken to attend to him, a little boy must figure out on his own how to process what has happened. When he visits his local library and a kind librarian hands him a "magic ticket," he finds an unexpected sanctuary in the world of books. Could reading be the gateway to understanding, and coping with, such a devastating loss?

David Hicks (author) and Kateri Kramer (illustrator) have created a tender and moving tale of loss, grief, and the healing power of storytelling, "a love letter to story, to books, and to libraries as a space to nourish both mind and heart" (Maria Mayo, Anythink Libraries).

Recommended for ages six and seven, and for grown-ups everywhere whose childhoods, like that of the author, were forever changed by the death of a loved one.

Review Quotes

"Stories have the power to reflect our own experiences, take us on fantastic journeys, and even heal us. David Hicks's story has the power to inspire the magic of reading and empathy in children of all ages. All they need is a magic ticket."
--Jimmy Haver, Kids and Families Librarian, Edgewater and Wheat Ridge, Colorado

"The Magic Ticket is a beautiful exploration of the power of books to be company when we feel lonely, a salve when we are hurting. It is a love letter to story, to books, and to libraries as a space to nourish both mind and heart."
--Maria Mayo, Anythink Libraries

"The Magic Ticket is a beautiful, moving story of how the power of books can help us navigate grief so we come out stronger, closer to our loved ones, and able to find joy on the other side."
--Denise Vega, award-winning author of If Your Monster Won't Go to Bed

David Hicks has written a wonderful children's book about grief. Its story and illustrations will engage young readers and also will resonate with their own experiences of losing someone. Parents will appreciate the chance to discuss things too often left unsaid as well as the potential for using stories and storytelling as ways to understand and appreciate the "thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears."
--Michael Karson, PhD, ABPP, Board Certified in Clinical Psychology, Blogger for Psychology Today

"This beautiful book brought tears to my eyes, in the best way possible. A true gift to any family who is experiencing loss, The Magic Ticket offers hope and healing with profound love and grace."
--Claire Bidwell Smith, author of Conscious Grieving

"In this heartwarming story, Dr. David Hicks reminds us that children's
books and literature are not just entertainment, they are guardian
angels that accompany and shelter our young souls as we long to digest
and understand the experiences and suffering that life throws at us.
Like a good fairytale, this story reveals how a small but powerful spark
of love can be given and tragically taken away, only to be found like a
seed growing in the world around us, in books, in the corners of a
library, and in our hearts, shaping and revealing why we are here. The
Magic Ticket is a tale of devotion, a story of a boy whose seeds of love
and sorrow are watered by the imagination of reading and its unfolding
blessings."
--Steven Bennett, PhD, LPC, Clinical Member AAMFT, Professor Regis University Division of Counseling and Family Therapy

"This book is all about magic. Young children dwell in a magical world, not always served by logic or causality. A beloved baby sister disappears. Bereaved parents seem to disappear from each other and from the little boy. All is silence. The little boy turns to books for the companionship that makes sense of his world. They are his magic ticket to understanding. The library card becomes the magic ticket that provides access to all those companions, which he can now take home with him. Finally, the books themselves become the magic ticket that reunites him with his parents. David Hicks has provided us with our own magic ticket to love, loss, and reunion."
-- Roy S. Lowenstein, MD, Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association

"The Magic Ticket is a heartfelt and compassionate children's book that gently addresses the topic of death and the experiences that go with it. Through sensitive storytelling and beautiful illustrations, this book can be used as an educational tool in schools, counseling, settings, and support groups. It facilitates discussions about grief, enhances emotional intelligence, and supports children's emotional well-being. By reading The Magic Ticket, children develop empathy and understanding for others who are grieving."
-- Lyn Paulet, Elementary Teacher, Mahopac Central School District, New York

"As a librarian who aims to inspire a love of reading in children, I am always on the lookout for books that capture the magic of literature and its ability to foster and inspire that love. The Magic Ticket tells the story of a young boy coping with the unimaginable through his connection with and love of books. Join us on a journey through his childhood as he experiences love, sadness, and confusion, ultimately discovering his inspiration in his local library and within the pages of books."
--Dara Berkwits, School Librarian, Mahopac High School, Mahopac, New York

About the Author

David Hicks is the author of the debut novel, White Plains, published by Conundrum Press/Bower House Books in 2017, and one of three finalists for the Colorado Book Awards (2018). Excerpts from the novel have been published as short stories in Glimmer Train, Colorado Review, Specs, Saranac Review, and South Dakota Review, along with other stellar journals.

David lives with his wife Cynthia in northeast Pennsylvania, where he directs the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing at Wilkes University. He is represented by Victoria Skurnick of the Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency.

Illustrating and designing professionally for six years, Kateri Kramer eventually paired that with a love for writing four years ago. She earned an MFA from the Mile High MFA at Regis University and has had numerous essays published. She is a regular contributor for The Rumpus where she illustrates the Sketch Book Reviews Series.