A Mother's Tribute to Nat | The Story That Continues

True artists leave pieces of their souls in everything they touch. Our beautiful Nat Bannerman was an extraordinary visionary, a deeply empathetic storyteller, and a proud autistic creator who saw the world through a lens of pure colour, gentle understanding, and immense love.

Through the creative world of Zosimos Curra® and the whimsical shores of Beanpie Island, Nat introduced the world to the Magbean!® series.

Books like You Can't Rush Friendships and Kindness Over Rudeness were never just stories. They were a beautiful, creative canvas. Nat used these tales to navigate the complex social worlds they themselves faced growing up, transforming personal struggles into a gentle, compassionate roadmap that helps children, especially those who sometime

s feel different, feel seen, understood, and accepted.

Before Nat coined their well-known philosophy, "Own Your Bean," their journey began with a simpler, deeply grounding phrase: "Stay Calm and Bean."

It was a mantra born from Nat's own daily practice of navigating a world that often felt too loud, too fast, and too overwhelming. It was an internal anchor to find peace amidst sensory and social storms. Over time, that quiet reminder blossomed into the profound message to "Own Your Bean," a beautiful reminder to the world that every single soul blooms in its own time and at its own unique pace.

Driven by fierce parental pride, I asked Nat to temporarily pause illustrating the main Magbean!® series to create a children's counting rhyme book, 5 Cockatoos: A Counting Rhyme for Kids, believing it would showcase their incredible artistic range to a wider audience.

We were blessed to unbox those finished copies together, holding the physical proof of Nat's immense talent in our hands. The very next day, Nat's earthly chapter closed, and they took flight.

While the loss leaves an agonising, breathtaking ache, Nat has given us beautiful proof that love does not end when a breath stops.

A dear friend and medium recently shared a comforting vision with me. She saw Nat standing protectively right behind me, smiling, and enveloped in a radiant, brilliant yellow aura. She described a "feminine softness" about them which, in spiritual traditions, represents the purest energy of unconditional love, empathy, and deep emotional healing.

I truly believe Nat's love has crossed the veil into the natural world they adored so much.

Every time a heavy logistical decision is made, or on quiet mornings on our back steps, Nat's favourite bird, the Australian Currawong, appears. With its bold, intelligent presence and piercing yellow eyes, it reminds me of that same golden light. Whether by coincidence or something far greater, those visits have become a source of immense comfort. To Shane and me, they feel like Nat's gentle way of letting us know we are honouring them exactly as they hoped we would.

Nat's remaining stories are not lost. Before they left us, Nat completed writing all ten Magbean!® books. Two Magbean books were published during their lifetime, while the remaining eight stories now wait patiently for the illustrations that Shane hopes to complete. It is our hope that one day those stories will continue the journey Nat began, reaching children with the same kindness, empathy, and gentle wisdom that shines through every page they wrote.

Nat's earthly journey was fulfilled the moment the final book they would see published was unboxed.

I believe Nat is safe. I believe Nat is free. I believe they wrap us in a gentle, protective embrace, whispering through the wings of the birds, "The books are done, my work is complete, and I am right here beside you."

Fly high, our beautiful bird.

Your light lives on in every page.

Your kindness lives on in every story.

Your creativity lives on in every illustration still to come.

Your love lives on in every child who discovers Magbean!®.

Your story continues.

💚 Stay Calm and Bean 💚

💚 Own Your Bean 💚

With all my love, always.

Debi

Proud Mum to Nat 💚

About the Creator

Nat Bannerman was an 18-year-old Australian author, illustrator, and founder of Zosimos Curra®.

Living authentically as a proud autistic creator, Nat dedicated their incredible creativity and immense empathy to building gentle, inclusive worlds where every child could feel seen, valued, and understood.

Through the Magbean!® series, Nat celebrated kindness, friendship, diversity, emotional resilience, and the courage to embrace who you are.

Their published works continue to inspire children and families, while the stories still waiting to be illustrated stand as a testament to a creative spirit whose legacy continues to grow.

Nat's greatest gift was never simply the books they published. It was the kindness they left behind, and the reminder to us all to Stay Calm and Bean, and above all, to Own Your Bean.