A grandmother, a tree saved from the town council’s condemnation, and aspiring animal pancake chefs – they’re the ingredients for a book that brings yoga lessons about balance and the importance of attitude to children and the adults who read to them.

Debbie Wolski is a yoga studio owner and great-grandmother of six. When the state of California closed her studio in 2020, she turned to writing to diversify her income stream. Already an artist and a poet, Wolski created the character of Grandma Magic and her treehouse school, eventually writing and illustrating nine books featuring the same cast of characters: Tyler Turtle, Twilly the Filly, Pinky Blue Bunny, and twin foxes.

The lessons include: Give your attention to the task at hand; don’t try to rush things; and learn from your mistakes. Grandma Magic reveals love as the most important ingredient – “the strongest of tools.” The animals learn to love themselves and their friends, and to put that love into their work and their lives.

Wolski mentions “The Little Engine That Could,” best known in its 1930 version by Watty Piper, as a story that provided a turning point in her childhood. “That totally shifted how I thought when I was about five years old,” she explains. “I started thinking, ‘I think I can,’ and lo and behold, the world opened up.” Her aim with the Grandma Magic series is to present readers with concepts “as relatable and accessible as ‘I think I can.’”

The book ends with a recipe that young cooks can make at home with their families. It is available in paperback and Kindle formats from Amazon. There is also a companion website (grandmamagicisreal.wixsite.com/my-site-4) where parents and grandparents can find learning activities and certificates for children and grandchildren who demonstrate the skills taught in the books.