BLOG TOUR: The Wishing World by Todd Fahnestock
ABOUT THE BOOK
In the Wishing World, dreams are real. You can transform into your own hero, find wild and whimsical friends, and wield power as great as your imagination. But Lorelei doesn't know about any of that. All she knows is that a monster took her family.
It happened during a camping trip one year ago. Hiding inside the tent, she saw shadows, tentacles and a strange creature. By the time she got up the courage to crawl outside, the monster--and Lorelei's mom, dad, and brother--were gone.
Lorelei is determined to find her family. When she accidentally breaks into the Wishing World, she discovers a way. It's a land more wonderful than she could have imagined, a land of talking griffons, water princesses, and cities made of sand, where Lorelei is a Doolivanti--a wish-maker--who can write her dreams into existence.
There's only one problem: the monster is a Doolivanti, too. What he wishes also comes true, and he's determined to shove Lorelei out, keep her family, and make the whole Wishing World his. To save them, Lorelei must find the courage to face him, or her next wish may be her last.
ABOUT THE AUTHORTODD FAHNESTOCK won the New York Public Library's Books for the Teen Age Award for one of his short stories, and is the author of the YA bestseller Fairmist as well as The Wishing World. Stories are his passion, but Todd's greatest accomplishment is his quirky, fun-loving family. The Wishing World began as a series of bedtime stories for his children.
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REVIEW
Fantasy fiction is unique in that it opens the door to other worlds and other possibilities. The ideas expressed in such stories are only limited by one's imagination. And children have an ability to use their imaginations in such creative ways. The basis for this book revolves around that idea. The Wishing World that Lorelei enters seeking her missing family revolves around the dreams of children. When Lorelei realizes that her parents are imprisoned by the Ink King within the boundaries of this magical world, she's willing to do anything to get them back.
WIth the assistance of Gruffy, a griffin, Pip, a talking toucan, and Squeak, a wise mouse, Lorelei sets out to get her family back. But there is more to this land than she knows and if she's not careful, her newly discovered power as a Doolivanti could harm this strange new world. But Lorelei can't bare thinking of leaving without her family no matter the cost. The creatures she meets along the way touch her life in unexpected ways as she touches theirs. But dangers both before and behind threaten everything Lorelei is hoping to accomplish. The unusual nature of the story and the fantasy world make this a rather compelling read. The fact that the book is just over 200 pages is a nice bonus for those readers who aren't ready for the often too long fantasy tomes available. There is also some humor in some of the things that strong-willed Lorelei says and in the fact that she can't understand what Squeak, the smart mouse says.
In addition to the creative nature of this story, I admired the fact that some rather important themes are imbedded in the story without being intrusive. Once she starts to realize the power she holds, Lorelei is left having to make some really hard decisions, decisions that she really struggles with making. The power of imagination to create or destroy also becomes clear as Lorelei faces off with the Ink King and the world he has built. The Wishing World makes for an entertaining and thoughtful read with moments of laughter, tears, and hope aplenty.
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