A South African university lecturer and mom created a beautiful picture book for her daughter living with a rare condition. It’s dedicated to every person who has ever felt a little different – because there’s magic in what makes you stand out.
Cape Town, South Africa (01 September 2026) – Magic in my Marks, a proudly South African storybook about celebrating your differences, starts with two real people.
Jacqueline is a mom who would do anything to see her daughter celebrate her differences. And her daughter, Emily, has spent the first eight years of her life navigating a rare condition called Congenital Melanocytic Nevus.
Emily’s condition causes her to have large, dark marks across her scalp and back, together with many smaller marks over her body. Her particular presentation is extremely rare – her mom says that approximately one in 500,000 people have it. With it, came the further diagnosis of a rare complication called Neurocutaneous Melanosis.
“In those first moments after her birth, we did not know what the marks were or what they might mean for her future. What followed were years of specialist appointments, medical procedures, scans, hospital stays and difficult decisions.” says Jacqueiline.
Emily has learned to be incredibly brave. Both in her medical journey, and with learning that she is a little different to other children her age.
“As Emily grew older, the part of her journey that increasingly concerned me was not only medical. I worried about how people might look at her, question her differences or make her feel as though her skin was something she needed to hide.” says Jacqueline. “As her mother, I wanted to give her a different story.”
Jacqueline says that desire is what eventually brought Magic in my Marks to life. A gentle, uplifting picture book about a little girl who initially feels alone because of the marks on her skin. She hides them and watches the other children play from the edge of the playground.
Then the magic begins.
“Through encounters with a dappled horse, a spotted leopard, a freckled giraffe, a tiny ladybird and other beautifully marked animals, she discovers that her marks are not something to hide. They are part of her magic and connect her to the beauty and wonder found throughout nature.” says Jacqueline.
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South Africans Turn Stickables Craze Into Full Tummies for Animals in Need!Beautifully illustrated by South African author and illustrator Emily House, Magic in my Marks is now publicly available! The story was inspired by Emily’s journey with her condition, and it is dedicated to anyone who has ever felt a little different.
“Its message is about belonging, self-acceptance and helping children see beauty in the characteristics that make each of us unique. I hope it will also help parents, teachers and children begin kinder and more natural conversations about visible differences.”
In August, Jacqueline delivered a Women’s Month talk to the young ladies at Greenfield Girls’ Primary School in Cape Town. There, she was able to share Emily’s story.
“I shared Emily’s story in a child-friendly way and spoke about how she changed my understanding of what it means to be strong.” says Jacqueline. “Together, we explored three important lessons: strong people can still feel scared, kindness is a superpower, and our differences should never prevent us from belonging.”
Jacqueline also introduced the young learners to Congenital Melanocytic Nevus and encouraged them to respond to visible differences with curiosity, empathy and kindness rather than staring or excluding someone. A message that her book carries from first page to last.
“Seeing the girls engage so openly with these ideas reminded me why this story matters and how powerful these conversations can be when they begin early.” says Jacqueline. “Magic in my Marks is becoming more than a book – it is creating opportunities to educate children, encourage kindness and help those who feel different know that they belong.”
Two launches will be held for the book this week. On Thursday 3 September, at Kelvin Grove in Newlands (Cape Town) and on Saturday 5 September, at the Nursery Party Venue in Chartwell (Johannesburg). Find out more – and find the book – by following this link!
“After carrying the idea in my heart for years, it is incredibly special to see it become a real book. Even more special has been seeing Emily’s excitement and pride in the story she inspired. She has been very involved in the journey and has even been writing little notes to accompany the books.”
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