Magic: Once Upon a Faraway Land

Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3

In her acclaimed debut as author and illustrator, Mirelle Ortega shares her own story of growing up near her family’s pineapple farm in Mexico, where she learned the true meaning of magic

A 2023 Pura Belpré Youth Illustration Honor BookGrowing up on a pineapple farm in Mexico, a girl discovers the true meaning of the word magic in this truly magical picture book about change and transformation of all kinds—what we can’t control, such as natural disasters and loss, and what we can. Magic can transform dirt into pineapples, seeds into trees, wool into blankets, words into stories, blank pages into pictures and stories into book.

About the Author

Mirelle Ortega is a storyteller and illustrator inspired by magical realism, classic film, animation, and Latin American cultures. She was born and raised in Veracruz, Mexico, near her family’s pineapple farm. She now lives in Los Angeles. Magic is her author/illustrator debut.