Joplin, Wishing

Starred review from April 17, 2017
Stanley (The Chosen Prince) deftly infuses magic and mystery into this uplifting story about friendship and second chances. After the death of fifth-grader Joplin Danforth’s estranged grandfather, who was a famous author, Joplin and her mother trek from New York City to his remote cabin in Maine to salvage his final writing. There, Joplin finds a beautiful but broken antique platter. Once repaired, the platter reveals a lovely scene: a girl standing by a pond. Joplin, tired of constant ridicule by classmates, wishes for the girl in the image to be her friend, and is stunned to find Sofie sitting in her garden the next morning. Along with new friend Barrett, the children undertake the daunting task of getting Sofie back to her home—a small Dutch village 400 years in the past. Stanley’s clever premise will quickly capture the imaginations of young readers, but it’s Joplin, with her headstrong determination; Sofie, with her soft-spoken resolve; and Barrett, with his enthusiasm and logic, who make this story special, exemplifying true friendship and sacrifice. Ages 8–12. Agent: Marcia Wernick, Wernick & Pratt.

Starred review from March 15, 2017
Stanley's fantasy offers an enticing blend of suspense, an ancient curse, a lonely girl, a hint of romance, and a fairy-tale trope. When Joplin's estranged grandfather, a famous yet reclusive author, dies, her mother insists she take something of his to remember him by. Joplin chooses a broken, centuries-old delftware platter. Once mended and hanging on her wall, the lonely 11-year-old white girl, friendless and bullied at school, admires the painted girl in the platter's center and wishes for a friend. The next morning, the Dutch girl from the platter is sitting in the garden! Sofie is cursed, forced to grant any wishes made by the platter's owner. With the help of a new friend, fellow lunchtime-hider-in-the-library Barrett, a white boy who, like Joplin, has -just the right amount of geekiness,- Joplin attempts to free Sofie. After Sofie's kidnapping by the centuries-old, menacing alchemist who placed the curse, the kids devise a plan, with some adult help, to reverse the curse. First-person narrator Joplin is a likable, sensitive girl whose middle school travails will ring true with readers. The story of how the platter came to Joplin's grandfather nicely connects Sofie and Joplin's mother. An afterword revealing the book's connections to the author is moving. With magic and a bit of danger, and touching on themes of family, loss, friendship, misunderstandings, kindness, and second chances, Joplin and Sofie's story is not soon forgotten. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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May 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-Stanley's latest novel juxtaposes the life of Joplin, a somewhat privileged fifth grader living in present-day New York City, with magic and alchemy from the mid-17th century. Joplin's reclusive and famous grandfather has just died, and she and her family are dealing with notoriety and paparazzi. Joplin is painfully attacked by thoughtless classmates as a result. The pieces of an old Delft platter depicting a young girl from long ago is her chosen souvenir from her grandfather. Joplin wishes she could have a real friend, and the very next day a boy named Barrett befriends her-and the girl depicted on the platter, Sophie, comes to life. Sophie, like a genie in a bottle, is forced to grant wishes for the owner of the platter for all time. Joplin and Barrett vow to help free Sophie from the curse. The idea of casual wishing is examined thoughtfully. Stanley also addresses the cruelty of several classmates and the inability of trusted teachers to respond appropriately. The many threads of the plot unite into a satisfying if predictable ending. VERDICT A charming tale that is neither frothy nor profound.-Carol A. Edwards, formerly at Denver Public Library

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 15, 2017
Grades 4-6 *Starred Review* Eleven-year-old Joplin visits her reclusive grandfather's home after his death and chooses a memento to keep: a tin containing the puzzlelike broken pieces of a Delftware platter. Reassembled and repaired, it features an outdoor scene with a Dutch girl. Joplin idly wishes that they could be friends. The next day, she meets the same girl outdoors and discovers that her image has magically disappeared from the platter. Sofie, now living in the world again but in the wrong place and the wrong century, longs to go home. Joplin and her friend Barrett are determined to help her return, whatever it takes, though the cunning alchemist who initially trapped Sofie threatens them all. Joplin is a beautifully drawn character: capable, complex, prickly, and very aware of those around her, even while being bullied at school. While Stanley's previous fantasy novels, including Bella at Midnight (2006) and The Silver Bowl (2011), had period settings, her latest takes place in contemporary New York City, yet is just as magical. The city becomes the backdrop for events that are as wrenching as a kidnapping and as transcendent as the sudden attainment of a dream. Written with intelligence, verve, and polish, this unusual fantasy takes readers on a journey they won't want to miss.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)