Common Sense Media Review
By Susan Faust
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Vibrant bio of a Ukrainian art form's survival in America.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In MARIE'S MAGIC EGGS, a young girl learned a Ukrainian handicraft from her grandmother and carried it to America. Together Baba and Marie made pysanky, decorative Easter eggs. But soon, to flee famine and fighting, Marie traveled alone to New York in 1911 at age 13 to join her brothers, though she accidentally found a favorite cousin living in Minneapolis. She stayed there, and, with none of the traditional tools, dyes, and wax available, she improvised to make beloved pysanky in spring. They were a link to the homeland she missed. Meanwhile, she worked as a waitress, helped build a Ukrainian church, married, had a family, lost a son to World War II, and helped resettle Ukrainian refugees after the war. With family support, Marie opened a Ukrainian gift shop that became a global supplier of pysanky kits. Marie sent many to Ukraine after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 to help revive an art that the Russians had tried to erase. Seen as a great artist, Marie preserved her homeland's cultural heritage, thereby ensuring, according to legend, that there is still good in the world. Extensive back matter includes an author's note; photos; additional information about Ukrainian history, the Pysanka legend and pysanky art; a pronunciation guide; instructions on how to make pysanky; lists of links to Ukrainian music, festivals, and museums that feature pysanky; a selected bibliography; and acknowledgments.
Is It Any Good?
Kids may hear mention of Ukraine in the news but still have little knowledge of its war-torn history and rich culture. Thankfully, Sandra Neil Wallace's rare introduction to the art and history of pysanky is layered into Marie's Magic Eggs. Complete with traditional symbols and colors, illustrator Evan Turk's vibrant pictures are both decorative and illustrative, helping to tell the story of one woman's courage, determination, and vision. An immigrant to the U.S., Ukrainian-born Marie Procai brought the art of pysanky with her. She had to improvise for tools, dyes, and wax in her new home. She became a leading artist of pysanky and an entrepreneur, especially important because of Soviet and Russian attempts to erase Ukrainian culture. She helped save the art of pysanky in her homeland, too. This splendid biography can be read as the inspiring tale of one woman or as a call to arms: how to keep culture and traditions alive in the face of government assault.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the different cultural traditions in Marie's Magic Eggs. Does your family have special traditions that have to do with your heritage? If so, what are they are?
Marie loved to decorate eggs in the Ukrainian style. Is there an art or craft that you like to do? If so, what?
Marie showed courage in immigrating to the United States alone as a 13 year-old girl. Have you ever had to do something that required courage all alone? What happened?
Marie showed perseverance. She had to adjust to a new country. She had to figure out ways to keep the pysanky tradition alive there and in her homeland too. Have you ever had to persevere to accomplish something difficult and important?
Marie was grateful to her grandmother for teaching her how to make pysanky and sharing a Ukrainian tradition. Are you grateful to someone for sharing something special with you?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Evan Turk
- Genre : Biography
- Topics : Arts , Family Stories ( Grandparents ) , History , Holidays ( Easter )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Gratitude , Perseverance
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : Calkins Creek
- Publication date : February 10, 2026
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 7 - 10
- Number of pages : 48
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : July 28, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate