MMGM: Dog-Loving Adventures: Wish and Wonderland

I’m a bit late to the party on Wish. I probably heard about it first on MMGM, but then a dear friend put a copy in my hands last summer. “You have to read this.” And she was right.

At first Charlie was a little hard to warm up to, but my the end of the novel, I was moved to tears. Of course, I had to find other books by Barbara O’Connor, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that she’s a dog person like me. Read on for more about Wish, and one of my other favorites by O’Connor, Wonderland.

Synopsis of Wish

Eleven-year-old Charlie Reese has been making the same secret wish every day since fourth grade. She even has a list of all the ways there are to make the wish, such as cutting off the pointed end of a slice of pie and wishing on it as she takes the last bite. But when she is sent to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to live with family she barely knows, it seems unlikely that her wish will ever come true. That is until she meets Wishbone, a skinny stray dog who captures her heart, and Howard, a neighbor boy who proves surprising in lots of ways. Suddenly Charlie is in serious danger of discovering that what she thought she wanted may not be what she needs at all. (from Amazon)

My take:

I loved this warm and loving portrayal of a child in foster care. I have a few friends who are foster parents, so I’m always excited to see more books about this topic. Charlie's aunt and uncle are just as well developed as the kid characters. Although this book could be heavy with all that Charlie has gone through, the project of the saving the stray dog really lightens the mood. Charlie has the most kind friend in Howard, but I also like that he's not a pushover. At times, Charlie needs a reminder that although her life has been tough, she can't take her anger on others. I also loved how Charlie went from wanting the family that she could never have to appreciating the people who truly loved her. I thought the way faith was handled was sensitive and realistic. If you love dogs, heartfelt stories, and well-earned endings, you will love this book!

 

Synopsis of Wonderland

Mavis Jeeter is fearless and bold, but she has never lived in one place long enough to have a real best friend. Her flighty mother has uprooted them again to another new home and taken a job as a housekeeper for the Tully family. Mavis wants this home to be permanent―which means finding herself a best friend.


Rose Tully is a worrier who feels like she doesn’t quite fit in with the other girls in her neighborhood. Her closest friend is Mr. Duffy, but he hasn’t been himself since his dog died. Rose may have to break a few of her mother’s many rules to help Mr. Duffy―and find someone who really understands her.


Henry has run away from home, but he craves kindness and comfort―and doesn’t know where to look for them.

When Mavis and Rose hatch a scheme to find Mr. Duffy a new dog, their lives and Henry’s intersect―and they all come to find friendship in places they never expected.

My take:

This story centered around a friendship between two girls who couldn’t be more different. O’Connor showed how Mavis, full of energy and spunk, and Rose, shy and timid, could bring out the best in each other. I ached for Mavis because her mom never stayed in one place or one job for long, but Mavis handles her mom with humor and her life circumstances never quell her joy for life. I'd love a friend like her! I didn't think that three POVs (one is Henry, the dog) would work, but it really makes for an interesting read and lets us get to know all the characters well. This book had such a satisfying ending. I couldn't imagine it any other way. And we're left with hope, absolutely necessary for middle grade. Another one for dog lovers who like books with friendship and a lot of heart!  

Max, the Reading Dog*

 

Max’s Take (on a five bone 🦴scale):

 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴Best MMGM ever! I would read any book by O’Connor. Dogs who get rescued make the best characters!

Your turn

Have you read Wish? What are your favorite books with dog or animal characters? Yay or nay on books from animal's point of view?