Reviewed by Jane Oliver-Purton (Library Staff)
Do you notice things people have left behind or lost, or just forgotten? Van does. Van sees all kinds of things other people don’t notice at all, partially because of his partial deafness and the need to wear hearing aids. But one day, Van notices a girl stealing pennies from a fountain, and everything changes. He follows the girl, Pebble, and uncovers an underground world full of wishes and the people who collect them and can make them come true. The problem is, not every wish should come true, and Van discovers just what can happen when the wrong people and the wrong wishes are involved.
I seem to be picking out more books lately with scarier stories to tell, and sometimes it’s good to get out of your book comfort zone. This is a complicated story, with a cast of fascinating characters, and a hero you’ll really root for.
Located in Children’s Fiction (J FIC WEST)