The Wish Stealers
Grade 4–6—The day before her first day in middle school, Griffin Penshine is tricked into accepting a box of lucky pennies from a mysterious old woman. A note in the box explains that the coins are all wishes stolen from a fountain more than 70 years ago. Griffin is now unwillingly a Wish Stealer, and in order to avoid the fate that accompanies that title, she must return the pennies to the original owners or to someone who has a similar desire. Short chapters keep the story moving, and an inspirational quote or adage, often about wishes or dreams, follows each one. Unfortunately, Griffin learns that she must return the wishes from a too-convenient chapter in a book that practically falls into her lap. More successful are her experiences as she navigates slights by the school's popular crowd and organizes a fundraiser to collect money for saving rainforests. While the wish-stealing theme is better developed in Frances Hardinge'sWell Witched(HarperCollins, 2007), Trivas's accessible novel encourages readers to be proactive in following their dreams and in helping others to fulfill their wishes.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, ILCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.