Wish Girl

Starred review from November 1, 2014
A sensitive boy with a troubled past and an artistic girl whose cache of wishes has almost expired find solace and friendship in a magical valley. Twelve-year-old Peter and his family have recently moved to rural Texas Hill Country to escape his issues with bullies in San Antonio. Peter's unemployed father urges him to "toughen up," while his resentful, overworked mother can't understand her withdrawn son. An outsider in a loud family that considers him a weirdo, Peter retreats to an isolated valley for solitude. Here he finds Annie, also 12, who's staying at a nearby camp. "[W]eird and bossy," Annie's passionate about art, and she and Peter bond in the valley's protective atmosphere. Annie calls herself a "wish girl," but Peter eventually realizes she's a Make-a-Wish kid whose leukemia has returned. When local bullies terrorize Peter, he opts to run away with Annie, who's avoiding more cancer treatment, but their escape's thwarted, and Peter's forced to speak out. As in Loftin's Nightingale's Nest (2014), the first-person narration in lyrical prose adds immediacy to Peter's and Annie's life-challenging situations as their transforming friendship plays out in a setting suffused with magical realism. A moving, mesmerizing story of wishing, listening and hope for discerning readers. (Fiction. 8-12)

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February 1, 2015

Gr 4-7-In this companion to Nightingale's Nest (Razorbill, 2014), 12-year-old Peter Stone's new home in rural Texas is completely unlike his previous life in San Antonio. Even in the quiet of the country, his family is too loud. They never stop to understand sensitive, introverted Peter. The boy soon ventures into the valley and meets the infuriatingly fascinating Annie, a self-proclaimed "wish girl." He wonders if she might be magical, like the mysterious valley. However, what she really means is "Make-a-Wish girl": Annie has cancer. Weaving in elements of magical realism, this modern story combines light fantasy elements with the harsh reality of Peter's life, including some harrowing past experiences with bullies and a period of dark depression and thoughts of self-harm. The fears and dreams of the characters unfold as they make difficult, sometimes life-changing decisions. The valley is a character, too, mysteriously directing animals and plants to help friends or hinder foes. Peter's first-person perspective is outshined by descriptions of feisty Annie, who dreams of becoming a world famous artist. Through the creation of site-specific environmental pieces, Annie teaches Peter about the transformative power of art and ephemeral beauty. Other themes include bullying and the value of listening. Peter knows the names and habits of many geographically specific flora and fauna, though it's never fully explained why a city boy has such extensive knowledge of natural science. Nevertheless, this is an intensely compelling story. VERDICT This emotional story will be loved by fans of Nightingale's Nest, as the plot structure, atmosphere, and characters are similar.-Amy Seto Musser, Denver Public Library

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