Wish by Barbara O'Connor

Wish by Barbara O’Connor is a heartfelt middle-grade novel about hope, friendship, and finding where you truly belong. The story follows Charlie Reese, an eleven-year-old girl who has been making the same secret wish every day since fourth grade. When she is sent to live with relatives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, she struggles to adjust to her new life, believing her wish will never come true.

However, everything changes when she meets Wishbone, a scrappy stray dog, and Howard, a neighbor boy with an unexpected kindness. As Charlie navigates her emotions and learns the true meaning of family and friendship, she begins to realize that what she thought she wanted may not be what she truly needs.