Katerina's Wish

Thirteen-year-old Katerina ("Trina" to her family) and her father are both dreamers, and it was her father's dream of a better life that led their family from Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) to southern Colorado in 1900. One year later, having settled in a coal mining camp, they are still buried in work and trapped by debt. Then Trina sees a fish that reminds her of a fairy tale about a magic carp; soon after, her two younger sisters' frivolous wishes are granted. Initially skeptical, Trina eventually makes her wish: for a farm that will make her family happy. Several dichotomies define Mobley's debut novel: optimism versus realism, magic versus hard work, and xenophobia versus a neighborly immigrant community. The importance of ingenuity, faith, confidence, and the willingness to dream shine through in a rich story threaded with traditional folk tales, which offers realistic dilemmas and a vibrant setting and cast. As Trina rises above the forces conspiring to quash her dream, readers will appreciate her success as she learns the rewards of persistence. Ages 8-12. Agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. (Aug.)

Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 4-7--Katerina's father's dreams of a better life brought the family of five from Bohemia to America, but now, in the spring of 1901, instead of the prosperous farm he envisioned, they are in a coal-mining camp in southern Colorado, and his wages are barely enough to eke out a living. Katerina, 13, is a pragmatist like her mother, but when she sees a carp in the creek, she is reminded of the folktale her grandmother told her in which a fish granted an old couple three wishes. Their neighbor, Old Jan, retells the story that evening, and when her younger sisters make silly wishes, Katerina is amazed to see them come true. Not fully believing in the carp's magic, Katerina is still determined not to waste the final wish on something frivolous. She finds herself working harder and coming up with creative ways to add a few extra coins to the family's tobacco can. As the savings slowly grow, the idea of a farm does not seem so far-fetched. Complicating matters is Old Jan's son, who has begun courting Katerina, and she is drawn to him, but she cannot reconcile herself to a future in the mining camp. Even after a terrible accident leaves him injured and many of the miners dead, he is hesitant to venture away from the work he has known. Katerina comes to realize that although life is not a fairy tale with magic fish, believing and persevering can make dreams come true. Similar in subject matter to Susan Campbell Bartoletti's A Coal Miner's Bride (Scholastic, 2000), this is solid historical fiction with a touch of whimsy and romance.--Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"I adored this beautiful debut novel about a spunky Bohemian immigrant girl who dares to realize her family's American dream through creativity and hard work. The loveable characters, vivid setting, and magical folktales completely drew me into Katerina's world, and I didn't want to leave."—Laura Resau, author of Star in the Forest, What the Moon Saw, and Red Glass