Wait For It! The Wish Tree by Kyo Maclear

CHARLES WANTED TO FIND A WISH TREE.

HIS BROTHER AND SISTER SAID, "THERE IS NO SUCH THING."

blockquote="">BUT CHARLES SAID, "WHAT DO YOU THINK, BOGGAN?"

AND BOGGAN THOUGHT SURELY THERE WAS SUCH A THING.

Charles follows his sled Boggan through the snowy woods, but none of the snowy trees seem to have any special powers. But Boggan whishhhh-ed along, and Charles sang loudly through the trees....

LA DI DA DI DA DI DAH!

Charles came upon Squirrel struggling to get a trove of nuts home to his home and loaded them on Boggan to take home to store for the winter. Further through the woods they meet up with Beaver, carrying birch branches, one by one, to his lodge. Charles loaded up Boggan, and soon Beaver was all set for the season. Singing his La-Di-Da song, Charles and Boggan slid across the beaver pond.

They didn't meet a wishing tree, but they found Fox trying to bring a bunch of berries home to her babies, so Charles and Boggan pitched in to deliver the goods right to the door of her den. They plucked some mushrooms for a mob of mice. It was nice that the mice were pleased, but Charles was beginning to worry if they would ever find their wish tree.

"WE MAY NEED TO MOVE A LITTLE FASTER, BOGGAN," SAID CHARLES.

It felt late. The shadows seemed darker.

"I CANNOT. SEARCH. ANY. LONGER," SAID CHARLES.

And then he sees it. The silvery Wish Tree.

CHARLES WROTE HIS WISH ON A PIECE OF PAPER AND TIED IT ON THE TREE.

And just beyond the Wish Tree the animals had set up a feast of hazlenut souffle and birch tea and berry biscuits for all.

And Charles sang as Boggan whooshed him all the way back home, in The Wish Tree (Chronicle Books), in Kyo Maclear's lovely snowy day story of kindness returned and wishes fulfilled. Illustrated with minimalist colors, white, blue, and pale pink, by Chris Dunham, there is a quiet magic in the snowy landscape in this wintry story of wish fulfillment.

The Handbook of Birthday Regulations: Ten Rules of the Birthday Wish by Beth Ferry

Of course, Rule 1 requires that it be your actual birthday. Or close. At least in the same week--unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as being an insect of considerably limited lifespan. (In that case, take it while you can get it!)

RULE 2: You must have a PARTY.

Accouterments are optional, of course. But for the traditional shindig, items like hats, streamers, banners, food, and confetti are conventional, and balloons are pretty much de regueur.

Unless... you are a rhinoceros. (POP!)

RULE 3: You must have cake or cannoli or cream puffs or churros... (or other sturdy desserts which can withstand RULE 4.)

Rule 4 requires something which must be blown out vigorously, (like candles or sparklers), resulting in Rule 5's requisite--DARKNESS. Further rules require singing of a certain song (with which everyone on the planet if familiar), following which closed eyes are optional, but expected to suggest deep thought and a requisite deep breath to ensure that said candle or sparklers are extinguished summarily. Help from bystanders is allowed, if necessary, but somewhat frowned upon unless the celebrant is of tender years.

And at last, the celebrant arrives at the crux of the whole exercise...

THE WISH!

... Which must be made in silence and remain unrevealed... if the celebrant has hope of...

... a wish coming true.

Sweet dreams of birthday wishes fulfilled are ensured in Beth Ferry's new Ten Rules of the Birthday Wish (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2019), which builds a bit of suspense for readers as she takes us through the traditional protocol of the proper birthday party, illustrated joyously by the inimitable artist Tom Lichtenheld whose assorted animal party-goers are charmingly pictured in a jolly party mood, just the thing for reading aloud on party day. Says Kirkus, "Satisfyingly humorous and sure to gift readers with guffaws...a gift of a book to open again and again."