Wish

Description

Eleven-year-old Charlie Reese has been making the same silent wish since fourth grade, hoping that someday it will come true. When her irresponsible parents send her to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to live with family members she doesn't know, she needs that wish to come true more than ever. A stray dog, a great friend, and the love of a big-hearted aunt and uncle just might make it happen.

Barbara O'Connor was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina. She has written many award-winning books for children, including How to Steal a Dog and The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester. barbaraoconnor.com

"The many ways [Charlie] wishes form something of a catalog of folk and family traditions and are delightful all by themselves. . . . Speaking in an honest voice revealing her hurt, resentment, and vulnerability, Charlies explains how her wish comes true. A warm, real, and heartfelt tale." --Kirkus Reviews "At school, at home, and in the community, the characters and settings are well drawn, but it's the narrator's convincing, compelling voice that will draw readers into the novel and keep them there until her wish finally comes true." --Booklist "O'Connor (How To Steal a Dog) pens a touching tale of resilience sure to resonate with children who have ever felt like they didn't belong. . . . Poignant and genuine, this is a tale that will resonate with readers long after they finish it and have them cheering for the underdogs--both of the two-legged and four-legged varieties." --School Library Journal "O'Connor again finds the sweet spot for young readers who are beyond early chapter books but not quite ready for the cynicism and/or complexity of much tween-into-teen lit. Bertha, Gus, and the Odoms are certainly awash in goodness, but their big-heartedness never devolves into sentimentality." --The Bulletin of the Center of Children's Books "Like a generous portions of grits, Wish makes the world a little better." --Bookpage "This heartwarming story is not tobe missed." --Kidsreads "O'Connor has the setting and colloquial mountain speech down pat, but most important, she gets at the heart of Charlie's unhappiness, showing that wishes may come true, but perhaps not in the ways we expect." --The Horn Book