If I Had One Wish ... - Softcover

Koller, Jackie French

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0595093175 ISBN 13: 9780595093175

Publisher: iUniverse, 2000

Synopsis

When a mysterious bag lady hands Alec a strange coin and tells him it will grant him one wish, Alec thinks she's crazy. But then, in a fit of anger, Alec wishes his little brother Stevie had never been born, and Stevie disappears! If I Had One Wish was an American Library Association Recommended Book for Reluctant Young Readers and a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age.

About this title

About the Author

Jackie French Koller is the author of over two dozen critically acclaimed books for children and young adults, including The Dragonling Series (Archway), One Monkey Too Many (Harcourt), The Promise (Knopf) and The Falcon (Atheneum). If I Had One Wish, a humorous and fanciful look at sibling rivalry, was inspired by her two sons, Ryan and Devin. Ms. Koller currently lives on a mountaintop in Western Massachusetts with her husband and two Labrador retrievers. She welcomes visitors to her website at www.jackiefrenchkoller.com.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-- Alec Lansing, at 62, is the tallest boy in the eighth grade, but his athletic talent doesn't quite match his height. That's only one of his problems, however. A basically nice kid, he keeps getting himself into trouble. He resents the affection his parents show to his little brother, and gradually focuses on Stevie as the cause of all his difficulties. When the charm given him by a strange bag lady at the mall turns out to be real, Alec finds that his thoughtless wish that Stevie had never been born has become reality. This sets off a junior version of It's a Wonderful Life . Alec finds that his family, while materially much better off ("I'd traded my little brother in for a Porsche") has also changed in the affection for, and interest in, each other. Life without Stevie is definitely not better. Alec's attempt to locate the bag lady and undo his wish brings him into contact with the people at a shelter for the homeless and reinforces the lesson that kindness is a valuable commodity. Readers will readily identify with Alec's problems at home and school, and sympathize with his frustration with his little brother. Considering the way wealth changes his life, they will also accept his growing desire to have his brother, and his family, restored. Alec's confusion and panic as he realizes what has happened is nicely paced; the magic elements are underplayed and believable. In all, an interesting and thought-provoking story for those who have ever wished they didn't have to put up with younger siblings. --Elaine Fort Weischedel, Turner Free Library, Randolph, MA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: iUniverse
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0595093175
• ISBN 13: 9780595093175
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 172