Once upon a time, in a small, quaint village, there lived a young girl named Emily. Emily was an imaginative and adventurous child who loved to explore the world around her. However, she often felt lonely and wished for a friend who shared her sense of wonder and excitement. One day, while rummaging through her grandmother's attic, she stumbled upon a dusty old chest. Curiosity got the better of her, and she began to investigate its contents. To her surprise, Emily discovered a beautifully crafted puppet tucked away inside.
A well of invention and imagination.
— The Believer
She interlaces stories from her forebears with cultural artifacts from her own life TwinPeaks, the Oregon Trail II video game, a Claymation Satan, a YouTube video of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham to explore questions of cultural inheritance and the particular danger, as a Native woman, of relaxing into romantic love under colonial rule. Washuta is a conjurer here, able to effortlessly showcase her talents while simultaneously pulling you close, as if she might suddenly reveal all her secrets.
To her surprise, Emily discovered a beautifully crafted puppet tucked away inside. Something about the puppet's sparkling blue eyes and mischievous grin captivated her imagination. Little did she know that this puppet held special powers.
White Magic (Paperback)
Throughout her life, Elissa Washuta has been surrounded by cheap facsimiles of Native spiritual tools and occult trends, “starter witch kits” of sage, rose quartz, and tarot cards packaged together in paper and plastic. Following a decade of abuse, addiction, PTSD, and heavy-duty drug treatment for a misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder, she felt drawn to the real spirits and powers her dispossessed and discarded ancestors knew, while she undertook necessary work to find love and meaning.
In this collection of intertwined essays, she writes about land, heartbreak, and colonization, about life without the escape hatch of intoxication, and about how she became a powerful witch. She interlaces stories from her forebears with cultural artifacts from her own life—TwinPeaks, the Oregon Trail II video game, a Claymation Satan, a YouTube video of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham—to explore questions of cultural inheritance and the particular danger, as a Native woman, of relaxing into romantic love under colonial rule.
Bracingly honest and powerfully affecting, White Magic establishes Elissa Washuta as one of our best living essayists.
About the Author
Washuta is a member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and a nonfiction writer. She is the author of Starvation Mode and My Body Is a Book of Rules, named a finalist for the Washington State Book Award. With Theresa Warburton, she is co-editor of the anthology Shapes of Native Nonfiction: Collected Essays by Contemporary Writers. She is an assistant professor of creative writing at the Ohio State University.
Praise For…
Necessary and magical.
— NPR
Exactly what you need right now.
— O, The Oprah Magazine
A web of honest examination of self and context. . . . A vibration that asks the body to listen, and rewards it for doing so.
— The Seattle Times
Nobody in the country uses more innovative nonfiction forms than Washuta.
— The Stranger
A well of invention and imagination.
— The Believer
A fascinating magic trick of a memoir that illuminates a woman's search for meaning.
— Kirkus, Starred Review
Her skill at transforming writing clichés and well-worn cultural signifiers into fresh insights is alchemical.
— The A.V. Club
Incredible.
— Book Riot
Seamless and scalding.
— Guernica
Incantatory, impassioned. . . . [A] wholly magical look at learning how to recognize the power that rests within you.
— Refinery29
Resonant and weighty.
— BuzzFeed
An innovative and deeply felt work to sink into.
— The Millions
As an essay collection, White Magic is as beautifully complex as it is illuminating. Washuta is a conjurer here, able to effortlessly showcase her talents while simultaneously pulling you close, as if she might suddenly reveal all her secrets. She is a genius at the art of subtle misdirection. Reading this book felt like being shown an expertly performed magic trick: deftly, flawlessly. No loose threads revealed. The work is funny and wry, it's thought-provoking and tender. It's a sleight of hand performed by a true master of the craft. White Magic is magnificent and Elissa Washuta is spellbinding. There is no one else like her.
— Kristen Arnett, author of Mostly Dead Things
Elissa Washuta is exactly the writer we need right now: as funny as she is formidable a thinker, as thoughtful as she is inventive—her scrutiny is a fearless tool, every subject whittled to its truest form. White Magic is a bracingly original work that enthralled me in a hypnosis on the other side of which I was changed for the better, more likely to trust my own strange intelligence.
— Melissa Febos, author of Whip Smart, Abandon Me, & Girlhood
White magic, red magic, Stevie Nicks magic—this is Elissa Washuta magic, which is a spell carved from a life, written in blood, and sealed in an honesty I can hardly fathom.
— Stephen Graham Jones, author of The Only Good Indian
In brilliant, clear-eyed prose, Elissa Washuta maps a magical passage into (and back out of) the underworld, through knotty legacies of violence and longing and love. Part history, part riddle, part portal: this book worked on me like a spell. I've never read anything like White Magic, and will be returning to it again and again.
— Claire Comstock-Gay, author of Madame Clairevoyant’s Guide to the Stars
You're going to feel like you’re drownfloating reading this diary of pain and meditation and wish for magic where every word helps Elissa Washuta’s soul return to her body. White Magic is as haunting as the work of Beckylane’s Where The Rivers Join and as eerily hypnotic as Kate Schatz’s Rid of Me. These pages are windows into a black lodge where Twin Peaks and Fleetwood Mac are on repeat—sometimes forward, sometimes backwards, sometimes in blackout blur. I stand in awe of everything here. What an incredible and wounding read.
— Richard Van Camp, author of The Lesser Blessed and Godless but Loyal to Heaven
- Literary Collections / Essays
- Literary Collections / Indigenous Peoples of the Americas
- Literary Collections / Women Authors
- Kobo eBook (April 27th, 2021): $17.95
- Hardcover (April 27th, 2021): $26.95
As she gently picked it up, a magical energy seemed to fill the room. Suddenly, the puppet came to life. Introducing himself as Merlin, the puppet revealed his ability to grant wishes and become Emily's loyal companion. Overjoyed at the prospect of having a magical friend, Emily quickly formed a deep bond with Merlin. Together, they embarked on countless adventures, exploring enchanted forests, meeting fairies, and solving mysteries. Merlin taught Emily valuable life lessons – the importance of kindness, courage, and the power of imagination. With Merlin by her side, Emily felt invincible, as if anything was possible. The magical puppet friend brought joy, laughter, and a sense of awe into her life. As time passed, Emily's adventures with Merlin became cherished memories. But as she grew older, her responsibilities and commitments increased, leaving less time for imagination and play. Eventually, the puppet was placed back into the attic, where it patiently waited for its next companion. Years later, Emily returned to her childhood village to attend her grandmother's funeral. In the midst of her sorrow, she couldn't help but feel drawn to the attic. As she climbed the creaky stairs, she wondered if Merlin was still there, waiting for her. To her amazement, the puppet was exactly where she had left it. As Emily picked it up, she felt a spark of magic once again. It was as if time had stood still, and she was transported back to her carefree days of adventure. With renewed determination, Emily decided that she would never let go of her sense of wonder and the joy of imagination. From that day on, Emily carried Merlin with her, not as a magical puppet, but as a symbol of the magic that exists within us all. The puppet became a reminder that the world is a vast, wondrous place, waiting to be explored and appreciated. And so, Emily's life changed, as she embarked on a new journey armed with the spirit of her magical puppet friend. She learned to find joy in the simplest of things and shared her sense of wonder with others. In the end, Emily discovered that true magic lies not in enchanted puppets, but in the power of a vibrant and curious heart..
Reviews for "Magical Puppet Friends and Social Emotional Learning: Fostering Empathy and Kindness"
1. Samantha - 2 stars
I found "Magical puppet friend" to be extremely cheesy and predictable. The characters lacked depth and the storyline was too simplistic. The puppet friend itself was more annoying than magical, with its incessant singing and corny jokes. Overall, it felt like I was watching a low-budget children's show. Not my cup of tea.
2. Jake - 1 star
I was really disappointed with "Magical puppet friend". The concept seemed promising, but the execution fell flat. The acting was mediocre and the puppeteer's efforts to make the puppet lifelike were laughable. The dialogues were cringeworthy and the plot was uninspiring. I wouldn't recommend wasting your time on this one.
3. Emily - 2.5 stars
"Magical puppet friend" had potential, but it failed to deliver. The plot was predictable and lacked originality. The puppet friend was more annoying than charming, and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. The special effects were subpar, and the overall production quality felt amateurish. Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me.
4. Michael - 1 star
I couldn't stand "Magical puppet friend". The puppet itself was creepy and not at all endearing. The storyline was dull and the pacing was way too slow. The humor was forced and lackluster. I tried to give it a chance, but I just couldn't get into it. Trust me, there are better options out there.