I Wish Wish Wish for You by Sarah Magsamen, illustrated by Melisa Fernández Nitsche. Sourcebooks, 2022. 9781728222677
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review): 4
Format: Advance Reader Copy picture book
What did you like about the book? This is a beautiful book, full of all the wishes a new parent or grandparent might have for their child. There’s a nice repetition of threes (wish wish wish, laugh and laugh and laugh) and the wishes are universal enough – beauty, laughter, pride in your accomplishments, adventures, good friends – to appeal to a broad audience. Nitsche’s friendly and colorful illustrations show young children of many ethnicities and body types playing together and they are full of movement and fun details, like bubbles blowing across and off the page, rainbow puddle splashes, and a spotted dog who makes several appearances. This is a sweet, heartfelt, and warm book.
Anything you didn’t like about it? The rhyme is a titch clumsy when read aloud, which is too bad, as the sentiments expressed make it a great baby shower gift or bedtime story.
To whom would you recommend this book? New grandparents, preschools, public libraries.
Who should buy this book? Preschools, daycares, public libraries.
Where would you shelve it? Picture books
Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Robin Shtulman, Athol Public Library, Athol, MA
Date of review: December 20, 2021
Youth Services Book Review 
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