MY WISH TONIGHT

A popular European radio station has ended its broadcasts for many years by sharing one wish from a child each night. Through simple text and vigorously lined, childlike drawings, 20 of these wishes are now gathered and presented for a larger audience. Some are funny (“I wish that I could fly to Mars and look for alien bones”), some are touching (“I wish that everybody in the world has a home”), some are perhaps unintentionally revealing (“I wish that during the night nobody has an accident”) and some are poetic (“I wish that the moon doesn’t lose me when I sleep”). Most poignant, however, is that all are universal, if not in exact action, then in emotion. Wolfermann’s bright colors and roughly scribbled illustrations complement the innocence of these children’s wishes as they float out over the airwaves or are made on a bright star. Certainly not an action-packed read-aloud, but it's an endearing exercise worth repeating while tucking in the covers at night. (Picture book. 4-8)