Synopsis
From the acclaimed author of The Cay and its prequel-sequel, Timothy of the Cay, here is a sweet, funny, and outrageous tale of a boy who gets his dearest wish—and then wishes he hadn't.
Lu Ann Brobst Staheli - Alan Review
Nine-year-old Jon Jeffers lives nineteen miles off the coast of San Francisco with his mother, father, and dog, Smacks. Jon thinks he is the loneliest boy in the world, with nothing to do but watch the lighthouse beacon. The nation fears the coming war and President Franklin D. Roosevelt wants to know about every advancement that might help the fight. Jon would like to be involved in some of the adventures he can only imagine. He thinks to himself, "If only I could fly." Soon, Jon begins wishing so hard for his dreams to come true that he is visited by mysterious man who teaches him the secrets of levitation. Jon fails to keep his promise of secrecy, and soon things go awry. Taylor has given us a story of pure fantasy, set in a real time. The story reads almost like a parable and might be studied for its unique genre and deeper message more rather than content. The short text makes for a perfect read aloud, especially to younger children. Suggested target audience: Upper elementary to middle grades. 2002, Harcourt Children's Books Division, 138 pp.,