Careful What You Wish For (Orca Anchor)

Careful What You Wish For (Orca Anchor)

A lonely teen discovers a website that grants wishes. Eshana is a bit of a social misfit. She feels more comfortable talking to people online than in person. One day she discovers a website that claims to be a safe space where young people can support each other in making their dreams come true. She starts talking with someone called Wise One. They hit it off immediately. Eshana admits to the Wise One how hard it is for her to make friends. The next day she goes to school and suddenly everyone wants to talk to her. Eshana is thrilled. But then, after telling Wise One about a girl who has been bullying her, she hears that the girl has been injured in a car accident. Are Eshana’s wishes really coming true? If so, is having the life she’s always wanted worth the costs? This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible. Gr 8 Up-A hi-lo retelling of "The Monkey's Paw" for the modern teen. Eshana, a bullied 10th grader, stumbles upon a strange fairy-tale-themed website called I-WISH. The creator of the website claims to be able to grant wishes. Eshana's wishes begin to come true, but they come at a cost. Her personality starts changing, becoming first rude and then cruel. When her final wish puts her family in danger, Eshana learns who her real friends were all along. Narsimhan succeeds at creating a story for teens who are reading at a lower level without infantilizing the content. Although the shortened form necessitates a more simplified story, the characters and concerns ring true for modern teens, some light swearing included. The author reflects her own South Asian heritage in Eshana's story, which resists the mistaken belief that stories for struggling readers need to remain as culturally and linguistically narrow as possible. The chat room-style website that Eshana discovers reads as a little dated, since most modern teens stick to app-based social media sites, but this throwback isn't too jarring. VERDICT An excellent choice where hi-lo fiction is needed.-Jeri Murphyα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. “Young adult readers will enjoy Eshana’s personality, the fantasy angle of the plot and the page-turner quality of the book as they wonder just what she’ll wish for and, more importantly, how that wish will be answered. Highly Recommended.” ― CM: Canadian Review of Materials “There’s a quick pace and steady pulse to this brief story, and the ending is ultimately satisfying. The book presents basic lessons in cybersafety as well as overt positive moral messaging about being kind and grateful.” ― Booklist “Will engage reluctant readers who enjoy real-world–based fantasies...A satisfying tale about defeating an online predator and realizing the value of true friendship.” ― Kirkus Reviews “Narsimhan succeeds at creating a story for teens who are reading at a lower level without infantilizing the content...An excellent choice where hi-lo fiction is needed.” ― School Library Journal (SLJ) “This tightly written, high interest fantasy addresses real world issues and will keep even the most reluctant reader turning the page… Recommended.” ― Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD) Every wish has a cost. Mahtab Narsimhan is an internationally published, award-winning author of over twenty critically acclaimed books. Mahtab writes for all age groups―from picture books to young adult novels―many of which have been shortlisted for the Silver Birch, Red Maple, SYRCA, MYRCA and CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens awards. She is deeply committed to representation and inclusivity in her work. Mahtab lives near Vancouver, BC.