Wish Upon a Sleepover

June 1, 2018

Gr 4-6-Leilani really wants to join the Haileys, six friends since first grade because they share the same name. But it's by invitation only and, despite her best eavesdropping and spying, Leilani hasn't been invited; nor is her name Hailey. Her plan? To invite the Haileys to a luau-themed sleepover, something her family knows all about because of their Hawaiian heritage. But when great-grandmother, Tutu, sends her pineapple invitations to the kids on the "Do Not Invite" list, Leilani's plan is ruined. Instead she must spend the weekend with her best friend and three kids she'd rather not be around. When the children follow Tutu's recipe for Sleepover Soup, a Hawaiian tradition requiring teamwork and chicken broth, things unexpectedly change for the better. With the right balance of tension and humor, Selfors's writing perfectly captures the tone of teenage angst and the struggle to fit in. Also of note is the theme of selective mutism which plays a large role. Through her retelling of "Stone Soup," Selfors reinforces the importance of kindness and manners by crafting a tale of inclusivity, acceptance, and cooperation, in a way that never feels heavy-handed or forced. VERDICT A delightfully funny, relatable tale for anyone struggling to fit in. A plus for fiction collections.-Rebecca Gueorguiev, New York Public Library

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 15, 2018
Five kids go on a scavenger hunt to make a sleepover soup that will grant their wishes.Seattleite Leilani is hapa haole, part white and part Hawaiian. Her goal for the sixth grade is to become one of the Haileys, the popular group in school. To show the Haileys she is fun, Leilani throws a Hawaiian luau sleepover. Unfortunately, the invitations actually go to the "DO NOT invite" list: her cousin who farts, Manga Girl (aka Tanisha), and the new boy who has selective mutism. At least her best friend, Autumn, comes too. Bored and hungry, the group decides to make great-grandmother Tutu's recipe for sleepover soup, a magic soup that requires each of them to add a special ingredient. The scavenger hunt unveils unexpected truths about each of them. Selfors' novel springs from the classic folktale "Stone Soup" and incorporates tidbits of Hawaiian culture and cosmology, often introduced in Tutu's sometimes clunkily expository dialogue. Since mainlander Leilani is largely ignorant of her own culture, this didacticism works within the plot, though coverage of cosmology is relatively slight. Overall, the story models not judging others, showing empathy, and friendship. The characters are all very different--an athlete, an artist, a book lover, a child with anxiety, and a girl desperate to be included--appealing to a broad audience. Tanisha is depicted as black on the cover; the other sleepover guests seem to be white.A good book on empathy and friendship, with some Hawaiian culture mixed in. (author's note) (Fiction. 8-12)

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