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A wish on a washing machine

Cover of The Wishing Machine
A review of The Wishing Machine by Jonathan Hillman
Nadia Alam

Change and goodbyes are hard! As Sam and his mom prepare to move from their apartment to Grandpa's trailer away from the city, they say goodbye to friends and their cherished Sunday laundromat time together with one last visit. But with a little imagination and some one-of-a-kind luck, Sam discovers that his most heartfelt wish doesn't need a magic machine to come true. One of only a small number of books I've seen about families handling tight financial times together, this one does a beautiful job of keeping Sam's empathy and joy at the center as we meet his family and community through his eyes. Fans of Saturday by Oge Mora and Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena are sure to enjoy this hopeful and loving picture book for ages 4+.

Jan 5, 2024