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Overview

In this poignant novel in verse, eleven-year-old Jack misses his dad who is MIA in Vietnam. The last thing Jack wants to do is spend summer with his grandparents. He's expecting the worst summer of his life—until he meets Jill. Things change as it becomes a summer of fishing, camping, bullies, and a fish who grants wishes. A fish that could be the answer to Jack’s problem. But when Jill makes wishes of her own, things don’t turn out the way they expected. Every wish has a consequence. Will the fish grant Jack’s biggest wish? Will Jack be brave enough to ask?

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9781939547620

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In Darlene Beck-Jacobson's poignant novel in verse, Wishes, Dares, and How to Stand Up to a Bully, a boy copes with the absence of his father, who is missing in action during the Vietnam War. Eleven-year-old Jack, with his mother and his sister, Katy, spends the summer at his grandparents' home. When he and Katy catch a one-eyed fish, they see it is as lucky; they make a wish on it to have pancakes for dinner. When the wish comes true, they wonder if the fish really is magical. Jack relates the incident to his friend, Jill, who decides to catch the fish again. She wishes that her bully of a brother, Cody, would leave them alone, but her wish has different results. Meanwhile, Jack reads his father's childhood diary, hoping that it contains clues about what makes a good wish so that he can make the perfect one and bring his father home. Discussions about wishes overlay the ways that the children work through their complicated situations. Its free verse lines crafted with care and concision, the book captures Jack's emotions, and his 1960s small town setting, because of its sharp attention to detail. References to John F. Kennedy, John Glenn, and Joe DiMaggio round out the period, and the shadow of the war hangs over everything. Still, the children roam unsupervised--fishing, biking, and camping--in a world that is otherwise familiar and safe. They're dealing with serious issues all the while, from Jill and Cody's abusive stepfather to Jack and Katy missing their father. By the end, they have all developed the courage and strength to deal with their struggles. A historical childhood fantasy in verse, Wishes, Dares, and How to Stand Up to a Bully blends light summer fun with deep emotional challenges.--Foreword Reviews -- Website (1/22/2020 12:00:00 AM) With his father missing in action in Vietnam, 11-year-old Jack faces a long, lonely summer at his grandparents' home. While the enthusiasm for life his younger sister, Katy, displays does much to lift his spirits, it's the companionship of his new friend, Jill, that makes all the difference. She's dealing with major problems of her own. Ever since their mother recently struck up a dysfunctional relationship with a manipulative man, Jill's brother, Cody, has turned into a severe bully. Jack and Jill, apparently white, become convinced that the wishes they make over a one-eyed fish they repeatedly catch have real power--but a badly worded wish can seemingly have devastating consequences. Jack's afraid to wish for his father's return from war for fear he might come home dead. Jill's tentative wishes to resolve Cody's nastiness only gradually reveal the true nature of the boy's problems and what the real solution involves. The tale is related in free verse, short lines and spare prose cascading narrowly down the pages, conveying a powerful message of bully management: 'Bullies need our permission to / rule over us.' This realization is enhanced by insight Jack's own dad provides through a boyhood diary, suggesting that even bullies might need friendship. Although it's set in the 1960s, the story reflects timeless issues that will resonate with modern readers. A fresh, inspiring exploration of a daunting issue.--Kirkus Reviews -- Journal (1/16/2020 12:00:00 AM)

""Although it's set in the 1960s, the story reflects timeless issues that will resonate with modern readers. A fresh, inspiring exploration of a daunting issue.""—Kirkus Reviews ""A historical childhood fantasy in verse, Wishes, Dares, and How to Stand Up to a Bully blends light summer fun with deep emotional challenges.""—Foreword Reviews

With his father missing in action in Vietnam, 11-year-old Jack faces a long, lonely summer at his grandparents' home. While the enthusiasm for life his younger sister, Katy, displays does much to lift his spirits, it's the companionship of his new friend, Jill, that makes all the difference. She's dealing with major problems of her own. Ever since their mother recently struck up a dysfunctional relationship with a manipulative man, Jill's brother, Cody, has turned into a severe bully. Jack and Jill, apparently white, become convinced that the wishes they make over a one-eyed fish they repeatedly catch have real power--but a badly worded wish can seemingly have devastating consequences. Jack's afraid to wish for his father's return from war for fear he might come home dead. Jill's tentative wishes to resolve Cody's nastiness only gradually reveal the true nature of the boy's problems and what the real solution involves. The tale is related in free verse, short lines and spare prose cascading narrowly down the pages, conveying a powerful message of bully management: 'Bullies need our permission to / rule over us.' This realization is enhanced by insight Jack's own dad provides through a boyhood diary, suggesting that even bullies might need friendship. Although it's set in the 1960s, the story reflects timeless issues that will resonate with modern readers. A fresh, inspiring exploration of a daunting issue. --Kirkus Reviews --Journal

Author Information

Darlene Beck Jacobson has a BA in Special Education and a Reading Specialist MA. She worked as a Speech Language Specialist for 20 years. Her book, Wheels of Change, was an NCSS Notable Book.

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