When You Wish Upon a Star (Twisted Tale Series #14)

by Elizabeth Lim Narrated by Carlotta Brentan

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Author Elizabeth Lim puts a fresh spin a familiar story from Pinocchio – that of the Blue Fairy, responsible for turning Pinocchio into a real boy. But what if she wasn’t supposed to help Pinocchio and Geppetto in the first place? When You Wish Upon a Star offers Disney fans of all ages a fun deep dive into a lesser-known character from the classic tale.

What if the Blue Fairy wasn't supposed to help Pinocchio? This New York Times best-selling series twists another Disney classic into a harrowing story in which the Blue Fairy defies fairy law, setting off a dramatic chain of events. "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight . . . " So begins the wish that changes everything-for Geppetto, for the Blue Fairy, and for a little puppet named Pinocchio. The Blue Fairy isn't supposed to grant wishes in the small village of Pariva, but something about this one awakens some long-buried flicker within. Perhaps it's the hope she senses beneath the old man's loneliness. Or maybe it's the fact that long ago, before she was the Blue Fairy, she was a young woman named Chiara from this very village, one with a simple wish: to help others find happiness. Her sister, Ilaria, always teased her for this, for Ilaria had big dreams to leave their sleepy village and become a world-renowned opera singer. The two were close, despite their differences. While Ilaria would have given anything to have a fairy grant her wish, Chiara didn't believe in the lore for which their village was famous. Forty years later, Chiara, now the Blue Fairy, defies the rules of magic to help an old friend. But she's discovered by the Scarlet Fairy, formerly Ilaria, who, amid a decades-long grudge, holds the transgression against her sister. They decide to settle things through a good old-fashioned bet, with Pinocchio and Geppetto's fate hanging in the balance. Will the sisters find a way back to one another? Or is this, like many matters of the heart, a gamble that comes with strings?

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A reimagined version of the animated 1940 classic Pinocchio. In this richly drawn retelling, the story centers on sisters Chiara and Ilaria Belmagio, living in the quiet town of Pariva in the land of Esperia. Eighteen and 16, respectively, they’re on the cusp of adulthood. Chiara receives an invitation to apprentice with the fairies, while Ilaria follows her dreams of succeeding as an opera singer. Their diverging paths set into motion an eventual struggle between the Heartless fairies, who derive power from hatred and jealousy, and those of the Wishing Star, who are devoted to the true of heart. When their friend Geppetto wishes that Pinocchio were a real boy, a wager pits the two sisters against each other and calls into question the polarity of good and evil. Readers acquainted with Disney’s original version of Pinocchio will appreciate the inclusion of iconic elements like the whale, the Blue Fairy, and Jiminy Cricket. Pariva is alive and atmospheric, and the world of the fairies is seamlessly integrated. The relationship between Chiara and Ilaria is believably close yet fraught, making the scenes between the two some of the most compelling in the book. Some of the lengthier segments could have benefited from tightening; others, like the dramatic climax, needed expanding. All principal characters are cued White. A fresh perspective that reads like a treasured favorite. (Fantasy. 12-16)- Kirkus (Mar 1, 2023)

Kirkus Reviews

2023-02-08
A reimagined version of the animated 1940 classic Pinocchio.

In this richly drawn retelling, the story centers on sisters Chiara and Ilaria Belmagio, living in the quiet town of Pariva in the land of Esperia. Eighteen and 16, respectively, they’re on the cusp of adulthood. Chiara receives an invitation to apprentice with the fairies, while Ilaria follows her dreams of succeeding as an opera singer. Their diverging paths set into motion an eventual struggle between the Heartless fairies, who derive power from hatred and jealousy, and those of the Wishing Star, who are devoted to the true of heart. When their friend Geppetto wishes that Pinocchio were a real boy, a wager pits the two sisters against each other and calls into question the polarity of good and evil. Readers acquainted with Disney’s original version of Pinocchio will appreciate the inclusion of iconic elements like the whale, the Blue Fairy, and Jiminy Cricket. Pariva is alive and atmospheric, and the world of the fairies is seamlessly integrated. The relationship between Chiara and Ilaria is believably close yet fraught, making the scenes between the two some of the most compelling in the book. Some of the lengthier segments could have benefited from tightening; others, like the dramatic climax, needed expanding. All principal characters are cued White.

A fresh perspective that reads like a treasured favorite. (Fantasy. 12-16)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940178315507
Publisher:	Disney Press
Publication date:	04/04/2023
Series:	Twisted Tale Series
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	996,709

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