Picture Books for Kids

A Birthday Wish

A birthday wish is special. Today is Sousa’s birthday. Sousa wishes to see her imaginary friend and hopes her “Li’l Inkling” will make her fellow classmates’ wishes come true. The magical adventure begins when Sousa’s Li’l Inkling grants the children’s wishes.

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During my travels through Iowa, I crossed over the busy city of Iowa City and traveled another 30 minutes east toward a small rural town where the silos were the tallest structures in the city. I walked into the old, brick building that once served as the high school for students from the early 1900s but had been converted into an elementary school for approximately 85 students. The gym I spoke in still had the mechanical time clock seen in Hoosiers. There was no sound system only an electrified bullhorn.

After my speech, I asked the small group of children what were their dreams. I received bright responses from everything from being a pig farmer, to a soldier, to a princess. However, one young Hispanic girl raised her hand and when I called on her and asked her what was her dream? She replied brushing back the tears, “What if I don’t have a dream, Dr. Mullen?”
I wrote A BIRTHDAY WISH because each child regardless of their family’s status is offered a special birthday wish on his or hers birthday. This is a picture book for kids in the elementary grades that instills hope in children and these are a few of the comments from elementary grade children who reviewed A BIRTHDAY WISH:

Joshua - I think it’s cool because the girl never gave up.
Ashlee - I liked it because she made everyone else have a wish too.
Alex - It’s awesome because now I know what it’s like to have a wish come true.
Nate - I made a connection because one of my wishes came true too.
Aidan - I liked the book because I made a wish like Carl to be an army guy.
Mya - I liked the book because I like making birthday wishes.
Emma - It makes me feel imaginative because they were thinking of all different dreams.
Jacob Rigsby - I liked how Sousa was shy and sad and then she became happy.
Haleigh Baker - I would wish to be a mermaid like Georgia.
Tim Kidwell - I love how Cody became as strong as a soldier.
Isabel Klaric - My wish would be like Shayenne’s!
Christopher Creatura - Be careful what you wish for!
Riley Ross - I love how creative the pictures were.
Caitlyn Sullivan - I want new shoes like Connor.
Gwen McVicker - I wish my wishes could come true like they did in the book.

A Birthday Wish is a heartwarming story about a little immigrant girl who is too shy to make a birthday wish. Her caring classmates and understanding teacher help her to realize that wishes and dreams are important. All young readers will identify with Sousa and her classmates as they aspire to believe in themselves and see their wishes come true.
Carol Stewart
Reading Specialist
Reading Hilltop Elementary School
Ohio