Wish I Might: From the Life of Willa Havisham

Ah, summertime! There's no better time to read...no teachers, no homework, just hot sunshine by the pool, and a book nearby. Okay, that's my fantasy world, and if we take a cue from Willa in "Wish I Might" by Coleen Murtagh Paratore, we'd see her fantasy world is filled with books and candy. We've all got something that we just love and want more of! That said, our story opens with Willa Havisham in Cape Cod with Joseph Francis Kennedy (her boy friend and she calls him JFK...in her head) who is going to Florida for six long weeks, a British guy she just met who claims to be her brother, and her dog, Salty Boy, who was just adopted from the shelter. And just like a typical sibling spat, this Brit-who-claims-to-be-her-brother insists the dog is his! With a mermaid spotting that kicks off Chapter 1, a mystery to solve re: her potential brother, and her boyfriend heading out of town, Willa just wants some peace. She heads over to the library to lose herself in a good book, and a stop at the candy store doesn't hurt, either. With the Fourth of July just around the corner, Willa misses JFK and doesn't know what to make of the stories this all-of-a-sudden-turned-up-brother starts telling. Could her real dad be alive? Could they be brother and sister? As she misses her boyfriend, gets to know this potential sibling, and tries to make sense of her friendships, there's no way I wanted to put this book down. Her writing is clear, yet tantalizing with the promise of something just out of her main character's reach. Having just celebrated the Fourth of July, this is a great summertime read that any 12-15 year old would love.