Books › Wish
Wish
256 pages
A tender, Southern-fried story about a prickly girl and a stray dog finding exactly where they belong.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting on a sun-warmed porch in the Blue Ridge Mountains, slowly letting your guard down. It is a deeply comforting, character-driven experience that balances the bittersweet reality of a fractured family with the profound, healing magic of a good dog and a welcoming community. The narrative moves at a steady, gentle pace, anchored by a spunky, fiercely guarded protagonist whose voice is as authentic as it is endearing. The prose is accessible and rich with Southern texture, wrapping the reader in an atmosphere of rustic warmth and quiet hope. It is a perfect fit for anyone who gravitates toward tender, emotionally resonant stories about scrappy kids learning to trust, the families we choose, and the wishes that come true in unexpected ways.
- Mood
- heartwarming
- rustic
- bittersweet
- hopeful
- Tone
- earnest
- spunky
- tender
- wry
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- found family · the healing power of animals · overcoming neglect · learning to trust · belonging
- The writing
- Accessible and deeply rooted in its Southern setting, featuring a distinct, authentic middle-grade voice full of grit and heart.
- The arc
- Moves from prickly defensiveness and longing to a tender, hard-won sense of belonging and acceptance.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love gentle, character-driven middle grade stories about scrappy kids, stray dogs, and the true meaning of family.
Content notes
- parental neglect
- family separation
- kinship care
About the book
charlie resse has been making the same wish every day since forth grade but when she is sent to live with family the barly knows it seems unlikely that her wish will ever come true that is, until she meets wishbone a skinny stray dog who captures her heart
Description from Open Library.
Books like Wish
See why they match
Molly's StoryW. Bruce CameronA tender, secretive exploration of the fierce loyalty and quiet comfort found in a forbidden friendship with a dog.
Waiting for the magicPatricia MacLachlanA gentle, big-hearted exploration of how the quiet wisdom of animals can help heal a fractured family.
How to steal a dogBarbara O'ConnorA heartfelt exploration of desperation and morality, wrapped in a kid-logic caper about trying to fix an unfixable situation.
The Old Woman Who Named ThingsCynthia RylantA tender, tear-jerking exploration of loneliness and the brave, vulnerable choice to open your heart to love again.
A Dog's LifeAnn M. MartinA poignant, dog's-eye view of the world that captures the vulnerability of a stray navigating both the cruelties and kindnesses of life.
One dog and his boyEva IbbotsonA heartwarming, adventurous journey about a lonely boy, a pack of rescued dogs, and the lengths we go to for the friends we love.