Wish on a Unicorn

by Karen Hesse

Overview

Now I didn't believe a broken-down old unicorn could make wishes come true . . . not for a minute. But what if it could?

Mags has a lot to wish for—a nice house with a mama who isn't tired out from work; a normal little sister; a brother who doesn't mooch for food; and, once in a while, she'd like some new clothes for school. When her sister Hannie finds a stuffed unicorn, Mags's wishes start to come true. She knows the unicorn can't really be magic, but she won't let anything ruin her newfound luck—even if it means telling her own sister to believe something that can't possibly be true.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780312376116
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	03/17/2009
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.40(h) x 1.80(d)
Lexile:	730L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Karen Hesse is the author of many books for young people, including Out of the Dust, winner of the Newbery Medal, Letters from Rifka, Brooklyn Bridge, Phoenix Rising, Sable and Lavender. She has received honors including the Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award, the Christopher Award, and the MacArthur Fellowship "Genius" Award, making her only the second children's book author to receive this prestigious grant. Born in Baltimore, Hesse graduated from the University of Maryland. She and her husband Randy live in Vermont.

Editorial Reviews

The dogged struggle of the family in their trailer rings true . . . and no easy solution is offered. Kids will be moved by the burdens on the oldest girl, who resents adult responsibility and yet finds the loving strength to reach beyond her years.” —Booklist

“With colorful regional language and clear psychological insight, Hesse's debut ranks with Betsy Byars's Pinballs and Cynthia Voight's Homecoming in describing families surviving as best they can under economic privation.” —Publishers Weekly

“Hesse captures the spirits of a stalwart young heroine and her family.” —School Library Journal

“A compassionate story of a poor family who are rich in solidarity and spirit.” —Horn Book Guide

From the Publisher

Mags lives in a trailer with her overworked mother, her perpetually hungry little brother Mooch and her retarded sister Hannie. As the oldest, Mags is the responsible one, but when Hannie finds a ratty old stuffed unicorn and says it's magic, Mags almost believes her. The wishes that come true aren't spectacular: Mooch gets a sandwich after wanting something to eat, and Mags gets new clothes--hand-me-downs from her aunt, but there is some kind of magic. The unicorn acts as a catalyst, letting Mags see beyond the humdrum of everyday life and realize how important her family is to her. With colorful regional language (Hannie is ``stubborn as an elbow,'') and clear psychological insight, Hesse's debut ranks with Betsy Byars's Pinballs and Cynthia Voight's Homecoming in describing families surviving as best they can under economic privation. Ages 9-12. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 4-6-- Margaret Wade's family lives on the edge of poverty. Her mother is a single parent who works at night, and Mags feels beset by responsibilities and worries far beyond those of other 12-year-olds. Hannie, her retarded half-sister, finds a stuffed unicorn and is sure that it can grant wishes; Mags, too, almost comes to believe in the toy's power. There is no magic, but the events the unicorn's discovery precipitates lead Mags to a new realization of the depth of her love for her family. Hesse is sensitive to the youngster's mixed feelings of duty, caring, and frustration. Her plot moves satisfactorily, and she is successful in depicting the family's everyday environment; her description of the dinner Mags fixes for her brother and sister speaks volumes. The narrative is not always smooth, and the overuse of similes is distracting, but Hesse does capture the spirits of a stalwart young heroine and her family. --Tatiana Castleton, Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library, CA

School Library Journal

If wishes were horses, or maybe unicorns, then sixth-grader Mag’s life of poverty might improve. Imagine her surprise when a stuffed unicorn begins to spread magic throughout her troubled family and their trailer home. Narrator Kate Rudd moves ably from character to character as she portrays mentally handicapped Hannie’s slow, broken speech; preschooler Mooch’s exuberance and terrors; and Mag’s exasperation with her kin. Poignantly, Rudd depicts Mag’s longing for freedom from a bully and for acceptance from snooty classmates. Adults make sparse appearances but are also well delineated. Rudd is especially good at dramatizing Mag’s transformation as she realizes that the unicorn she hoped would change her life has actually changed her perspective. D.P.D. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

JANUARY 2011 - AudioFile