Kyra’s Magic Word
By Peter Pillsbury Sr.
Illustrated by Jani Beckwith
Kyra’s Magic Word is a childrens’ read-aloud book that is beautifully illustrated and written from the heart. Here is an excerpt:
“This is a story about a little girl named Kyra, and how she taught magic to her animal friends in the forest and along the Wanapana River.
She lives with her mama, papa and little brother deep in the lush Obaduba Forest which is in the land of Uli south of the village of Anapanda and next to the great Wanapana River.
Kyra loves to play with the mugwamps who live along the muddy banks of the Wanapana River.
Kyra lives with her family in a house high up in a bugaboo tree. She likes to climb up and down the long rope ladder.
Mugwamps are friendly, funny creatures the size of a small dog and look something like an alligator with long legs.”
Kyra Megan Pillsbury
May 1, 1991 – February 15, 1996
Kyra was diagnosed with an aggressive malignant brain tumor just after her third birthday. Kyra’s family spent the entire summer of 1994 living at the Family House across the street from UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco while Kyra had surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments. Her baby brother took his first steps at the Family House. As the tumor began to shrink, Kyra was walking again and soon was hauling herself up and down the stairs. In September, Kyra’s family returned to Santa Cruz and Kyra remained in remission until just after Christmas. With incredible luck and cutting-edge chemotherapy, she came back from the brink again to dance and charm her way through much of the following spring and summer.
The family spent most of the fall of 1995 again at Family House and the hospital but were home for Thanksgiving. Kyra was determined to walk again but just after Christmas she lost all use of her left side. After a year and a half of hospitals, chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, blood draws, transfusions, and magic wands, Kyra died at home on February 15, 1996. Through it all, Kyra continued to give, to love, and to deeply touch the lives of everyone who knew her, flashing the sign language shorthand for “I Love You” even after she could no longer speak.
This story was written for Kyra by her grandfather Pete with the intention of entertaining and empowering her as she struggled through brain cancer. As the story was read, Kyra would giggle and laugh and holler out WALLAWOOP!
Profits from the sale of this book go to non-profit organizations that support families of children with cancer.
PETER PILLSBURY SR. and his wife, Cynthia, have been married for 62 years. They have three sons and eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. They have lived and worked in Europe and East Africa and spent several years in Detroit where Pete was a community organizer. For the past fifty years, they have resided in the tranquil foothills of Yuba County, California. During this time in California, Pete has served as a teacher and school administrator.
Kyra was his granddaughter.
JANI BECKWITH lives just outside of Challenge, California, a small town nestled in the Sierra Foothills. She loves to write about and paint the beautiful landscapes of that area. But mostly her work is about children, their experiences, and the wonders of growing up.