Wish

Wish

Author: Alexandra Bullen

Publisher: New York : Point, 2010.

Plot Description:

            Olivia didn’t always feel so alone.  But after her twin sister dies, and her parents move her across the country, she can’t seem to find her footing again. Until she goes to get one of her sister’s dresses fixed.  And the seamstress gives her back not the dress she dropped off, but a new one entirely.  A dress that gives her one wish.  What she unwittingly ends up wishing for helps her realize not only what she’s been missing in her life, but helps her reshape what her family has become.

 

Review:

            While definitely written for an older audience, Wish has a fairy tale aspect which appeals to older tweens.  The book centers on a tragic loss, one which, as Olivia says, makes everyone feel both bad for her and happy that they have never had something so horrible happen to them.  It’s a book which, while it talks about underage drinking and has several parties where this happens, really is focused on how one girl and her family survive a terrible tragedy.  It’s about remembering to appreciate what you have, and how to adjust when things change.

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Reading level: 9th Grade

Similar Books: Unearthly, Twilight

Reader’s Advisory:

Personal thoughts- Touching

Subjects/themes- High School, Loss, Sisters, Family, Wishing, Magic

Character names/descriptions-

Olivia- shy girl who is still coping with the loss of her sister

Violet- Olivia’s twin who died, was the more outgoing of the two

Calla- the most popular girl at Olivia’s new school who befriends her

Soren- Calla’s ex-boyfriend, and Olivia’s new love interest

Mariposa- Seamstress who gives Olivia a magical dress

Annotation: What would you wish for if you could have anything?