Genesis and the Magic Mirror
About this book This book was written collaboratively by community members in the spring of 2020 in support of Reading Partners Twin Cities.
Authors Kristine Bolander Shaina Davis Debbie Donnelly Miranda George Jan Kleinman Peggy Ludtke Nicholas Moulton Morgan Muldoon Shannon Murphy Nick Rivers Bob Rumpza Molly Schuh
Illustrations Erica Rule
It was a sunny morning as Genesis walked out her door to her bus stop. A morning like every other morning, but as she got close to the bus stop, something on the sidewalk caught her eye. It was a golden mirror about the size of a baseball her brother Gerard liked to throw around in the yard. She picked the mirror up and looked in to find the glimmer from the sun catching her eye as she was sucked into the mirror.
1
Genesis looked around her. Everything looked kind of the same, but kind of different too. The sky, sidewalks, trees were all washed in a slightly golden glow, which was very pleasant. But-everything that had been to her left was now on her right, and everything that had been on her right, was now on the leftthis was decidedly less pleasant. She actually felt a bit dizzy- looking at her world in reverse.
2
“So,” Genesis said, “This is what it looks like on the other side of a mirror.” “I can see my old self back where I came from, but now I see my NEW self here on the other side.” And her new self was wonderful, indeed. Her new self could look back through the mirror and see her brother and parents playing together and having fun.
3
Observing her family made her new self feel warm and loving in a way she’d never experienced before. Her new self wondered if maybe everything could look better with a different point of view. “I know,” she said. “I’ll explore my school from the other side of the mirror. . .”
4
It was almost the end of the school year and the new self Genesis, who went by Gen for those who knew her well, was on her way to finishing the 4th grade with style and excellence. She was a masterfully creative young girl and she loved to read, learn, play with friends, and help others. The new Gen was fierce, curious, funny, and smart but most of all Gen was kind. She and her brother rode their bikes to school each day and Gen’s bike was the best. It was purple and pink and teal and tasseled and shiny and sparkly and amazing. She loved her bike so much but she loved her little brother Levi even more!
5
"Hmmm, Gen sure looks talented," thought Genesis. She glanced around and saw her bicycle. It was mostly black, except in the rusty places. One handle was missing its rubber grip. She looked up and saw her brother Gerard ahead on the corner, waiting impatiently for her. Why was he in such a hurry? Waiting for them at home was a crying, crabby baby brother. Genesis felt worried, timid, and sad. Could this new Gen have anything in common with Genesis?
6
She checked the mirror again. The face looking back at her grinned and winked. Its mouth formed the words, "Look down," and so Gen did. Instead of her ratty old tennis shoes, there were sparkling silver boots on her feet! She jumped in surprise and shock -- and remained in mid-air. Gen waved at Gerard, who was watching her, and they both shrieked in unison.
7
The girl in the mirror began to walk around her room on the other side, her sparkly boots keeping her three feet in the air. The room looked like Genesis' room, except the walls were purple and orange, and there was what looked like a six legged cat sleeping on the bed. The girl on the other side took a marker out of the desk and came back to the mirror.
8
Gen popped the cap off the marker and looked thoughtfully right into the mirror at Genesis before she bent her head and began to write on a piece of paper. When she finished writing, she held the message up to the mirror. It was a short message so Genesis was still able to read it even though the letters were reversed. The message read: “edis ym ot revo emoC.” Genesis was shocked. She had no idea Gen could even see her. Trembling she went to her desk and found a marker and paper and wrote, “How?” and held it up to the mirror.
9
Upon seeing Genesis’ question in the mirror, Gen scribbled back, “There are three important steps to come over to my side. Are you ready?” Genesis slowly nodded “yes” back through the mirror. “First,” wrote Gen, “you must walk backwards for 5 minutes, and then sing your favorite song.” Genesis held the mirror, started walking backwards, and then sang her favorite song. “Finally, you must eat this apple,” Gen wrote, as she held up an apple. When Genesis held out her hand, the apple disappeared from Gen’s, and magically appeared in her own hand.
10
Genesis bit into the apple. It was delicious! It tasted like cotton candy and cinnamon rolls, not like a normal apple at all. Genesis closed her eyes to enjoy the taste. When she opened them again, she looked around in surprise.
11
As she looked in the mirror, Genesis saw that everything was a puzzle piece. Each thing fit together, but there was a kind of invisible space around each object that made it optional. That bush over there, it was optional. She could sense that it could be swapped out with something else – a large clump of grass, or the corner of a building. She could see how everything was more like moveable furniture than like a fixed point. And then she looked at herself.
12
Genesis saw her reflection in the mirror and realized that even she had options. Gen had showed her that the view of her world was not the only view, but that there were other ways to see the world and that these ways could be different and that was okay. Genesis closed the mirror and held it tight for a moment before leaving it for someone else to find.
13
Although she wanted to keep the mirror, she knew that it could help show others how to see the world differently. Everything around her now looked different. She could now see how all the houses could be different. Now when she looked at her bike, it was still black and rusted in parts but Genesis also saw it in a different way and was suddenly very happy that she had a bike at all.
14
Genesis saw each person as they were but also like a collection of different puzzle pieces, not one like another. Each person she walked past had a different mixture of pieces, a different story that was told. She loved her family more, even her crabby brother that never seemed to stop crying. She began having more fun and decided that if New Gen could be creative, maybe she could, too.
15
Genesis began to paint the different ways she saw the world now that the mirror opened her eyes to different perspectives. By looking at things differently, Genesis came to love the world she lived in because even though some things looked bad, she always tried to find the good. Some days she thinks back to finding the mirror and wonders if someone else came across it and if they, too, discovered the wonders the world holds if you only look.
16
The End