THE MISADVENTURES OF BENJAMIN BARTHOLOMEW PIFF

When orphan Benjamin Bartholomew Piff makes a birthday wish for unlimited wishes, he follows the rules—eyes closed, he blows out all of the candles and doesn’t reveal his wish—and suddenly, each wish he makes comes true. At the Wishworks Factory, where wishes are fulfilled, everyone is worried; for each wish Benjamin makes, another child’s won’t come true, and the door is now open for their nemesis, the Curseworks Factory, to intervene. Just as Benjamin is about to wish for his parents’ return, Thomas Candlewick, the new factory president, arrives with two interns (a Jinn and a leprechaun) to set things straight. It’s too late, however; an industrial spy has stolen Benjamin’s wish and given it to Curseworks. Now it’s up to Benjamin and his newfound friends to go on a raid and recapture the wish. Perhaps then Benjamin can bring his parents back—but would that be wrong? Blending elements of Harry Potter, Star Wars and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this exciting, well-paced adventure, the first in a series, is sure to be a hit. (Fiction. 7-10)