The Wish Sisters (series)

Allison Rushby

Karen Blair

UQP, 2023

108pp., pbk., RRP $A12.99

9780702265938

When Flick and Birdie’s Grandma Aggie found an imp in an old bottle and wished for her granddaughters to have unlimited wishes, it seemed like it would be a lot of fun.  But then Imp twisted the wish so that only  Birdie could have the wish, and that can get tricky when one so young and immature has so much power.  So Flick has to be really careful how things are handled.  

This is a new series for emerging independent readers that has everyday situations as their base, but shows how these can be easily turned into turmoil and need rescuing.

In The Party Wish, Flick discovers her little sister has a special gift. Birdie has wished for a super-fabulous unicorn party and it has magically appeared in their backyard! There’s a rainbow slide made out of sour straps, a ball pit full of marshmallows and a real-life unicorn that poops cupcakes while in The Big Wish  Flick is nervous about leading book club for the very first time. It doesn’t help that her little sister is super cranky and won’t stop wishing. Birdie is filling the pram with her favourite snacks and getting puppies appear out of thin air.  In The Running Wish, it is school sports day but how can she make sure her team wins fair and square when Birdie starts meddling with the most important race of the day? And things turn very tricky in The Pet Wish when the girls are helping local seniors group The Busybodies raise money for animals in need and suddenly there is a rainbow cat and a dancing dog in the mix.

Throughout the series (The Christmas Wish is due in November) there is an emphasis on family and friendships and the importance of strong, positive connections between them.   This will be a popular series for young girls, particularly, who want a bit of escapism without too much tension, especially those with younger sisters who can be troublesome at times.  It is very much a book about being careful what you wish for.