WITCH’S WISHES

Wishes are tricky things for an aging witch and a little girl. When the witch casts a spell that makes all of Sarah’s Halloween-night wishes come true, things do not turn out like anyone expects. “Be careful what you wish for” is the basis for many stories, but, in this case, Sarah doesn’t even know she possesses this power. Her casual wishes are strictly the stuff of a kindergartner—a brother who is nice, a puppy for everyone, another bathroom, and Christmas every day. When puppies show up everywhere, and her brother turns into a Stepford sibling, Sarah begins to wonder if she has some special power. The old witch figures out her mistake and has to go back in time, twice, to put things right. Young readers will enjoy predicting the outcome of each wish and will cheer at the eventual resolution. Mundane clip-art chapter headings are a drab accompaniment for this lighthearted story for new readers—frequent illustrations would have been a better choice. Still it will fulfill a lot of wishes. (Fiction. 7-10)