The Wishkeeper's Apprentice

January 29, 2024
Ten-year-old Felix Jones is miserable: his best friend Max has moved away from their hometown of Whittlestone, and Rebecca, his beloved older sister, has been ignoring him. Trudging home alone—Rebecca forgot (or refused) to pick him up from soccer again—Felix pauses at Whittlestone’s fountain, wishing on his last penny for Rebecca to like him again. Elderly wishkeeper Rupus Beewinkle appears and laments that while he wants to grant Felix’s wish, his wishfulness gauge reports a dangerous level of downcast and disheartened feelings resulting from granted wishes mysteriously dissolving. As Rupus’s newly appointed apprentice, Felix must seek out the monster destroying Whittlestone’s wishes, along the way discovering that he himself is the result of a wish Rebecca made a decade ago—and, if the fur-covered wishsnatcher remains at large, Felix will fade from existence. British author Chivers Khoo’s debut is a pleasantly cozy fantasy starring a resourceful hero with a knack for sorting out the delightfully disorganized Rupus, and whose yearning to repair his sibling bond is affecting. A recipe for snorlicks, the heartening wishkeeper’s drink of choice, concludes. Most characters read as white. Ages 7–10.

February 1, 2024
Grades 3-5 Between his recent nightmares, his best friend moving away, and his older sister Rebecca's recent, evident disdain for him, 10-year-old Felix feels more like an outsider than ever before. So when a strange little man named Rupus confides that he's a wishkeeper, the person in charge of granting and protecting wishes in their town, Felix is interested. He's willing to help, too, especially when the wishkeeper confides that a wishsnatcher has been at work, destroying years' worth of wishes and threatening to undo others, including a then-6-year-old Rebecca's now 10-year-old wish for a younger brother. The wolfish monster from Felix's nightmares now threatens his very life, and the story becomes a tale of adventure, heroism, and hope. Even the magical elements of Khoo's first novel seem realistic within the context of its well-paced, third-person narrative. From the decorative elements surrounding page numbers to the occasional double-page picture, the dynamic, grayscale illustrations enhance the pages while helping to define the characters and the action for young readers. A lively transitional chapter book with more than a touch of magic.

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March 1, 2024
"In my experience, almost all wishes are possible." Ten-year-old Felix Jones might as well be invisible. His best and only friend, Max, has moved away, and Felix's very existence seems to irritate his college-aged sister, Rebecca. In contrast, solitary, overworked wishkeeper Rupus Beewinkle is supposed to be invisible to the residents of the quiet seaside town of Whittlestone. To Rupus' surprise, Felix can see him, which prompts Rupus to grant his own wish and appoint Felix as his apprentice. Vexed by wish snags that undermine his work, Rupus suspects that a wishsnatcher is at large, a creature long believed extinct that bears a striking resemblance to the wolf-man of Felix's recurring nightmares. After a series of events threatens to destroy all the wishes in Whittlestone, Felix must face his fears--and the wishsnatcher--to save the day. The well-constructed setup and dreamy, scene-setting exposition are enticing; Rupus' home is a cozy oasis. The monochrome illustrations, consisting of two-page spreads that create immersive tableaux, along with spot art that supports comprehension of the text, are charming and an essential part of this work's delightful appeal. The significant age gap between the siblings highlights the mutable transitions of the tween and young adulthood years and functions as a well-designed plot device. A concluding time jump, however, misses the mark in further plumbing Felix's emotional depths. Major characters read white. A sprightly and wholesome magical adventure. (map, recipe) (Fantasy. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2024

Gr 3-6-Felix Jones wishes more than anything that his 16-year-old sister liked him again. He feels silly dropping a penny into a fountain making this wish after Rebecca forgets to pick him up from soccer, but figures it's worth a try. As he thinks about how much his sister has changed over the past year, he notices a small man who appears to be stealing pennies (wishes!) from the fountain. And that is how Felix meets Rupus Beewinkle, the town Wishkeeper. Rupus explains that lately there have been lots of "wish snags," and other wish anomalies. Felix realizes that the terrifying creature he has been seeing in his nightmares might have something to do with all the messed up wishes in town. Rupus needs Felix's help to figure out what's going on, but it may be more than both of them have bargained for. Black-and-white illustrations, both spread-length and scattered throughout, bring Rupus and Felix to life. Young readers will love learning about the whimsical world of Wishkeeping in this well-realized story. A dramatic twist halfway through will keep the pages turning. VERDICT A quirky novel recommended for young fantasy lovers.-Mandy Laferriere

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