  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 02/01/2016 Gr 4–6—In this realistic novel with a whimsical twist, 12-year-old Charlie catches a magical wishing fish and tries to use it to solve all her problems. Her wishes range from getting rid of her fear of the ice to getting her sister to come home from college for a visit. Not surprisingly, poor phrasing causes her wishes to go wrong, and she ends up making things worse instead of better. The plot covers a lot of ground, ranging from Charlie struggling to save enough money to buy a dress for her Irish dancing performance to helping one of her classmates learn English. The most serious subplot involves the discovery of her older sister's heroin addiction and her subsequent treatment. Charlie eventually decides she does not need to rely on making wishes to solve her problems. Though somewhat sanitized, the gentle portrayal of heroin addiction may serve as a good way to introduce this serious issue and engender discussion. VERDICT A charming fantasy story with threads of several deep themes that could serve as the basis for thoughtful discussion.—Eliza Langhans, Hatfield Public Library, MA - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Bulletin for the Center... - 06/01/2016 Charlie’s plan is simple: do a little ice fishing with her best friend and bring some cash to help cover the cost of a solo dress for her upcoming Irish dance competition. When a magical fish keeps winding up on the wrong end of her fishing pole, granting her wishes in exchange for its release, life becomes more complicated. Though she tries to use her wishes to get her friend on the basketball team, her mom a new job, and her sister, Abby-whom Charlie deeply admires but who has been increasingly distant since going away to college-home more often, the wishes come at a cost. Despite the occasional humor, Messner mostly steers the book’s whimsical premise into darker, less traveled territory, using Charlie’s backfired wishes to reveal fissures in her happy family in the form of her sister’s heroin addiction. In an authentic and earnest twelve-year old’s voice, Charlie struggles to reconcile the bright, high-achieving Abby with the image of drug users painted for her in school, as well as to understand how her sister, who pledged not to do drugs, could make such choices. Messner uses her particular brand of magical realism to face some tough but necessary stuff-as her author’s note observes, the largest growth in heroin use is among eighteen to twenty-five-year-olds, and purveyors don’t necessarily live in the dirty tenement halls that Charlie, and likely many readers, think. In addition to providing a relatable protagonist battling the realistic ripple effects of a family member’s addiction, where everyone else’s needs fall by the wayside in an effort to help the addict, Messner offers a list of resources for readers wanting support or further information. While an obvious fit for the kids facing similar struggles, this makes an enjoyable and informative story for the wishing crowd as well. AA - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Loading...
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