The Wishkeeper's Apprentice

The Wishkeeper's Apprentice

Wishes do come true—with some help from Felix and his quirky mentor, Mr. Beewinkle—in this magical adventure brimming with the power of hope. When ten-year-old Felix drops a penny in the wishing fountain at the center of town, he really doesn’t expect his sixteen-year-old sister to suddenly like him again, or to offer to share a cinnamon bun or watch cartoons like they used to. She hasn’t even remembered she was supposed to give him a ride home! But someone else is at the fountain too: a strange old man with a fishing pole who claims to be invisible. To Felix’s amazement, he learns that the old man is a Wishkeeper, and he needs an apprentice! But being a Wishkeeper’s apprentice isn’t just about organizing incoming wishes and untangling wish snags: a strange wolf-man who’s been haunting Felix’s dreams is real and a threat to every wish that has ever been granted in the town of Whittlestone, the town’s Wishkeeper, and Felix himself. With lively illustrations, this sweet adventure bubbles with charm and heart. 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 doublepage 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. —Booklist 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. —Publishers Weekly Rachel Chivers Khoo was born in Belfast. Growing up, her greatest wish was to become a published children’s author. Now that wish has come true, she’s planning on making more wishes . . . possibly involving a puppy or a lifetime’s supply of cinnamon buns. Rachel Chivers Khoo studied English literature at Trinity College, Oxford, and creative writing at Queen’s University, Belfast. She previously worked in book publishing and wrote her debut novel, The Wishkeeper’s Apprentice , at her kitchen table during maternity leave. She lives in London with her husband, two young sons, and far too many books. Rachel Sanson is a children’s illustrator from the UK. Originally from a little town in the north of England, she studied illustration at the University of Lincoln. Growing up, she wished for superpowers. It hasn’t happened yet but hopefully someday soon. Rachel Sanson’s hobbies include being nocturnal, making friends with cats, and hiding under large piles of blankets. She lives in Bristol, UK. 1 The Comeuppance of Rupus Beewinkle    Rupus Beewinkle’s years of exuberance were finally catching up with him. All the twinkle and fun had faded away from his gray-green eyes.    The elderly wishkeeper had quite simply taken on too many wishes.    Rupus was hunched over a desk in his front room, stroking his long white whiskers and gazing without enthusiasm at the heavy files before him. He knew that he ought to make a careful note of each new wish snag in his records. But there were hundreds of them, and more and more occurred every day.    Each new wish snag felt like a brick tumbling down on top of him.    His life’s work was crumbling into ruin. He had neither the time nor the energy to deal with the snags, let alone record them. Now more than ever, he needed assistance.    As if on cue, a soft humming noise filled the room.    Rupus raised his weary head to look at the dusty wishofax machine as it flashed amber and swallowed a scroll of paper. He got to his feet and crossed the room to hover hopefully over the paper as it reemerged, little by little.    A message, written in wet black ink, came out of the wishofax. Rupus sighed as he read it and his mood sunk even lower.   Dear Rupus,   It is with regret that we cannot fulfill your request for an apprentice. The Council has not received wishkeeping files from you for over two decades. Nor have any updates been received in relation to wish snags or other wish maintenance carried out. The Council urges you to bring your records up to date. Once that is done, the Council would be happy to reconsider your application for an apprentice.   Yours sincerely, Benjamin Tumble Communications Manager The Council of the Wishkeepers      Rupus began to speak aloud to himself (as wishkeepers often do). “Fiddlesticks! I should have known better. You can’t ignore the rules forever.” He raised a hand to his wrinkled forehead. “Ah, foolishness. Reckless youth. Look at me now.”    Rupus cast a glance at the wishfulness gauge in the corner of the room. It was tall and wooden and resembled a grandfather clock, except that instead of a clock face, it held a single dial. Its golden arrow was pointing at a label titled Downcast & Disheartened.    “Worse and worse and worse each day,” Rupus muttered,