Granted

Opening Line: "The last time you blew out your birthday candles, what did you wish for?"Every since reading Ms. Bixby's Last Day, Posted and Dungeoneers, Anderson's books have been on my auto-buy list. His newest book, Granted is such a delight and wonderful addition. Ophelia is the lovely blue-haired fairy who desperately tries to complete her mission and help save the magic in Haven. And oh boy what a brutal mission it is, with odds that seem to be stacked against her, and everything that can possibly go wrong seems to happen. Not only does she have to contend with an airplane and truck barreling at her, she encounters humans who attack her with a broom, a newspaper, even a fire extinguisher, not to mention a flock of ill-tempered geese and a hawk that thinks she's dinner. Despite being battered and badly injured, Ophelia is a survivalist. She may have her moments where she doubts why she should've even bothered trying to grant Kasarah's wish or whether she should just give up and ask for reinforcements, but Ophelia's also resourceful and determined, and "a promise is a promise" after all. Luckily for Ophelia, she comes across an abandoned dog, who she names Sam and together they follow the elusive path of Kasarah's coin as it moves from the fountain she made her wish upon to a diner, a super pets store, ending at the lemonade stand of siblings Anna and Gabe, two kids desperately missing their dad who's away serving in Iraq. What really makes this story for me though is Sam, how he so clearly sounds like how a dog would speak. How Sam longs for a friend and is so enamored by Ophelia, he captured my heart. Especially when Sam starts to follow her and she asks, "Why are you following me?" and he responds, "Because you are broken and lost and I licked you, so now we are friends." Granted is a glimpse into how some wishes can be "impossible and others might be unsustainable." "A wish is many things. It is hope and desire and daydreams. It is impossibility and improbability and something in between. It is stardust and well water and spectrums of light in the sky. It is half-melted birthday candles and Christmas lists. It is broken turkey bones. It is the willing suspension of disbelief. And sometimes it is desperation. It is a hole in your heart that wants filling." Such a sweet heartwarming story with all the magical charm of wishing on a star.

This book is so much fun and written with warmth and imagination! Ophelia Delphinium Fidget ( the fairy who feels fortunate to have her name-- she likes the way the f sounds crash together like a hard rain) is a Granter on her first assignment. When things don't go as planned, she hooks up with Sam the loveable loyal dog (who was abandoned by a heartless human who "took him for a ride"). They are a winning team and all ends well-- delightful and refreshing!

This book arrived early and was in perfect condition! That is wonderful! I read all the chapter books before I put them out in my classroom, and I haven't begun this one. The cover is intriguing! Thank you!

Bought this for my 10 year old who loves reading aloud to his dad on the way to school but this book didn't hold his interest.

I got this to read aloud to my two kids, but I realized once it arrive that it's probably for when they're a little older. I did not get that impression from the description on the website, so I'm mildly bummed out, but I just put it away for later.

He had to ready this for a summer reading reading list and he really enjoyed it.

Cute book that keeps you interested if you enjoy fantasy.

Daughter says it's her favorite book