Wish

Wish
Barbara O'Connor
FSG, 2016 240 pages
Grades 3-6
Realistic Fiction

Eleven year old Charlie does not have an easy life. Her father is being "corrected" in a Correctional Facility and her mother is mentally unfit to care for her or her older sister. Sister Jackie is allowed to stay with friends in Raleigh, but Charlie is sent to stay with an aunt and uncle she doesn't know in a small southern town where she suspects the hillbilly kids eat squirrels. Every day Charlie makes a wish through a variety of different means, hoping to get the results from life that she thinks will be the best for her. To her surprise, her new life isn't terrible. Charlie makes friends with a neighboring boy named Howard and his gentle nature balances out her fiery temper. Charlie and Howard discover a stray dog in the woods and the two pals set out to tame the wild creature and, perhaps, give Charlie the pet she has always wanted. After some growing pains and adjustments, Charlie finally starts to feel at home and secure in her new family and begins to love her aunt and uncle. Just when a new normal is established, mom is ready for her to come home. Is living with her mother still Charlie's greatest wish?

Barbara O'Connor, a master at heartfelt stories for kids, offers another tale that will be sure to please kids who like to read books that are a little sad, yet work out all right in the end. This book seems like a dog story at first glance-and there is certainly a dog involved-but it is much more than that. Wish is really a family story about a troubled girl finally finding home, acceptance, and unconditional love. Readers will immediately care about Charlie and want her to find happiness. As a character, she exhibits much growth, as she learn to tame her temper and gains confidence and security. Readers will long for a friend like gentle Howard, who is truly likable and loyal. The ending is sure to incite a tear or two, as a happily-ever-after ending ensures that Charlie has found home and love at last. The sweet and inviting cover will entice readers to check out this title and the reading level and length is just right for the target audience. Kids in my library love this book, which is why I finally felt compelled to read it. I found myself rooting for Charlie and making my own wish that everything would turn out right for her. Lessons about kindness, accepting others, reigning in jealousy, what makes a true family, and being careful what you wish for are all prevalent themes within the novel. Readers will enjoy time spent in Charlie's world and maybe start doing some of their own wishing.