During an air raid, huddled in the bomb shelter with his family, the different sounds of the war humming around him, when Bill makes his wish. He says it out loud, three times: "I wish for a brother instead of a sister." It seems like his wish comes true almost immediately when his family takes in an injured boy found in a nearby bombed-out house after the raid. No-one knows who the boy is. He never speaks, and his burnt face is wrapped in bandages while it heals. As the weeks pass, the boy becomes stranger and stranger. When Bill confronts the boy, he discovers that wishes can sometimes go horribly, horribly wrong . Union Square & Co.

's EVERYONE CAN BE A READER books are expertly written, thoughtfully designed with dyslexia-friendly fonts and paper tones, and carefully formatted to meet readers where they are with engaging stories that encourage reading success across a wide range of age and interest levels.