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Review: The Wishkeeper's Apprentice

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The Wishkeeper’s Apprentice 
Written by Rachel Chivers Khoo 
Illustrated by Rachel Sanson 
Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2024. Fiction. 219 pages. 

Felix wishes that his 16-year-old sister wouldn’t be so standoffish to him. They used to be really close, and now she always has other things to do and couldn’t be bothered by her 10-year-old brother. So, when Felix wishes on a penny and throws it into a wishing fountain, he doesn’t really expect much. But, he especially doesn’t expect to be met by an old man who is a stranger and happens to be a wishkeeper. And Felix  doesn’t expect to have to become his apprentice in order to save his town and himself from what happens when wishes start to disappear. 

This is an engaging fantasy novel where fantasy and wishes and right and wrong all get mixed together and Felix has to sort them all out. Kids who enjoy thinking through reality and wishful thinking with a dash of fantasy will gravitate to Felix’s story. And those who tend to wonder what would happen if all their wishes came true will also enjoy seeing just how complicated granting wishes just might be. Clever and fun.
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