Book Review: Wish You Weren’t

Marten doesn’t believe in the power of wishes. None of his have ever come true. His parents ignore him, his little brother is a pain and his family is talking about moving to Texas. Not cool. So when he makes an impulsive wish during a meteor shower, he doesn’t expect it to make any difference.

Until his annoying brother disappears.

With the present uncertain and his brother’s future in limbo, Marten finds himself stuck in his past. And if he runs out of time, even wishes might not be enough to save the ones he loves.

I loved the premise of Wish You Weren’t. You’ve never had a younger sibling if you’ve never, at least once, wished they would just disappear for a while. Unfortunately for Marten, his wish actually comes true. What do you do when the one thing you thought you wanted more than anything else turns out to be a mistake? You fix it, that’s what you do. This book has a ton of heart, and an adorable moral to it all.

I also adored the brotherly banter between Marten and his little brother. As the oldest in my family, I know that sometimes it’s tough to have a younger sibling. You become a built in babysitter, you get in trouble if they do (even if you didn’t do a thing), and sometimes you just want to plug your ears and run away. I loved how Sherrie Petersen showed this dynamic so beautifully. Marten’s little brother can definitely be a pest. She also shows the flip side though, how sometimes we forget to look at the good moments too. It’s a great moral for the young readers who are going to put their hands on this book.

There’s so much wrapped up into this quick read. The idea of friendship, and what lengths you’re willing to go to in order to help a friend. The concept of family, and that sometimes you have to sacrifice to make someone else’s dream come true. Even the idea that sometimes all we need to do is speak up when we’re feeling put down. Since this is such a brief read, I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling. I will say that this is sweet, and fun! A bit of time travel, a lot of heart.

So if you’re looking for a new read to put into the hands of your young bibliophile? Give this one a spot on your list. Wish You Weren’t will be sure to resonate with them, and it has the perfect amount of action to keep things fresh.

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.