Review: Wish by Barbara O'Connor

Wish by Barbara O'Connor. 227 p. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, August, 2016. 9780374302733. (Purchased)

After eleven-year-old Charlie's dad, Scrappy, is sent to prison to be "corrected" and her mom can't seem to drag herself out of bed, Charlie is sent to live with Aunt Bertha and Uncle Gus. Not only is she separated from her beloved older sister, she doesn't know these people and they live way out in the boondocks. Her best friend tells her she'll be going to school with hillbillies. She is not happy. At the best of times, Charlie is prickly and prone to fight, a trait she proudly believes she inherited from her father.

Nonetheless, Bertha and Gus are thrilled to have her despite the sulking and nasty comments. Her tough shell repels her classmates effectively except for Howard, a neighbor who lives in a noisy house with many brothers and walks with an "updown" walk. His persistent kindness is a true puzzle to Charlie.

Charlie does have one wish though. Ever since fourth grade, she looks for a sign daily to make a wish on and she has never ever told her wish. She feels unwanted and like she doesn't fit in anywhere. When she spies a dog skulking around town and learns that it's a stray no one seems to own, Charlie is determined to make it hers.

O'Connor evokes a strong sense of setting here and her characters, even the minor ones, are fully fleshed out. The town is fictional but it and the community are so well-drawn, I feel I would recognize Colby were it real. I kind of wish it was. Charlie is a keen observer and her voice is achingly compelling. I winced with each mis-step and fell more in love with Bertha and Gus as they continued to love Charlie unconditionally. Howard is an exceptional character also. He is lucky to be buoyed by a large, loving family to help him cope with his own troubles. He is a steadfast friend to Charlie despite her occasional cruelty. 

I adored this book and will recommend it widely - to tweens who love dog stories and stories of friendship; to readers who love gentle, more thoughtful stories; and to teachers who might be looking for a powerful read-aloud to imbue important, discussable messages without a sledgehammer. 

Switched at Birthday by Natalie Standiford

231 p. Scholastic Press, February 25, 2014. 9780545346504. (Review from arc obtained at ALAMW)

Lavender and Scarlet go to the same school and share the same birth date, but that is where the similarities end. Scarlet, rich, blond and popular cruises at the top of the social food chain. Lavender, short, clumsy and a bit hairy is the prey. Her various nicknames include Lav, as in bathroom, and Yeti. She seems impervious to these daily assaults. Indeed, she's quite snarky. Unfortunately, she's also brutally snarky to her few friends.

Both Lavender and Scarlet intend on trying out for the lead in the school musical. Scarlet has the looks for the lead, but not the vocal ability. Lavender has an amazing singing voice. The music teacher directing the production gives the auditioning students a verse to recite to help them win the part. Scarlet and Lavender each recite the verse as they blow out their birthday candles. The next morning, they wake up in each other's bodies.

I will admit that I picked this up off the table at the Scholastic booth at ALAMW purely for its cover and seeming middle grade appeal. When I read the synopsis, I wasn't expecting all that much as these "freaky Friday" type plots generally don't hold much appeal for me. I was utterly sucked in and won over. The girls are complex, flawed characters. The dialogue and social situations were realistically drawn. There was a message, lightly delivered with humor. There were endearing secondary characters and the ending was just right. 

I have a cadre of sixth grade girls who have been passing around my aged copy of Freaky Friday this year. I can't wait to suggest this one to them.