With her father in jail and her unstable mother incapable of caring for her, 10-year-old Charlie is sent to live with an aunt and uncle she didn't know she had. Defensive and pugnacious, she resists their efforts to make her feel at home, as she has no intention of staying in this small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The one thing she loves here is the stray dog she takes in and cares for. Gradually, though, she comes to value the steady support of a boy who befriends her, and the unconditional love that her relatives offer. Every day, she makes the same unspoken wish, revealed only on the last page. In this first-person narrative, Charlie's emotions are as evident as the events she records and her occasional misreading of other people's lives and intentions. At school, at home, and in the community, the characters and settings are well drawn, but it's the narrator's convincing, compelling voice that will draw readers into the novel and keep them there until her wish finally comes true.

Thong introduces readers to the fascinating wishing customs from fifteen countries representing six continents, including a rhyme and a short paragraph about each tradition. Kleven's intricately detailed mixed-media illustrations give glimpses into the cultures mentioned and encourage readers to pore over every page. Brief notes at the end provide more information about the wishing lore of each location.

Gr 4-6 Eleven-year-old Charlie Reese is heartsick that she's been sent to live with an aunt and uncle she doesn't know in the boondocks of North Carolina, because her dad, Scrappy, is in jail getting "corrected" and her mama can't get up off the couch to care for her. O'Connor ( How To Steal a Dog ) pens a touching tale of resilience sure to resonate with children who have ever felt like they didn't belong. Charlie feels she doesn't fit in and has built up a tough exterior, which, coupled with a short-tempered fuse, gets her nowhere in her "temporary" home with kind Aunt Bertha and Uncle Gus. Charlie resists becoming friends with Howard, an odd but kindhearted boy with an "up down walk" who comes from a boisterous and loving family, which is far from what Charlie is used to. Every day, Charlie has to find something lucky in order to make a wish, a ritual she's done every day since fourth grade, whether it is a bird singing in the rain, or blowing on an eyelash. Feeling kinship with a stray dog, Charlie is overcome with desire to give "Wishbone" the loving home she, too, is desperately searching for. When Wishbone disappears and she is compelled to search for him, Charlie learns there are people worth holding on to and what you wish for may not be what you really want. VERDICT Poignant and genuine, this is a tale that will resonate with readers long after they finish it and have them cheering for the underdogsboth of the two-legged and four-legged varieties. Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA