Don't You Wish

Don't You Wish

YA fiction
Have you ever read a book where you get so absorbed by the plot
and characters it takes every ounce of self control you possess to not
skip ahead to the last pages to make sure things work out right? That
was what happened to me when I read Roxanne St. Claire's Don't You
Wish. I was so hooked on that book I read part of it outside waiting
for the library to open in below freezing weather.
Annie, St. Claire's protagonist, is one of the front-of-the-
school-bus kids the high school A listers psychologically torture when
they aren't ignoring them. They call them the invisibles. She lives
in a relatively poor family with a pack rat inventor father, a mom who
suffers from nicer house envy, and an obnoxious younger brother who
specializes in burping. Why can't she be another girl with a
beautiful face, a humungous house, and a much more exciting life?
Unlike most people, thanks to an invention of her father's that
actually works, she gets transported into a parallel universe where
her wishes seemingly have come true. She's a filthy rich plastic
surgeon's daughter with a mansion with hired help, scads of upper end
designer clothes, and a dream car. She's the darling of the A list.
Her boyfriend is oh, so hot. She has it made in the shade, right?
Well not exactly. Rich Daddy is a moral sleaze when he is even
around. Rich Mommy is emotionally detached. The new chums shop lift
stuff they could easily afford and act cruel and abusive to their less
fortunate peers and untrusting of each other. Hot boyfriend has only
one thing on his mind.
Which world does she really fit into and feel at home in? If
she decides it's her old life, does she have a ghost of a chance of
getting it back?
Read the book and see. You'll be glad you did.
On a personal note, there are signs of spring. Joey cat has stopped
his near hibernation. He pounces around sniffing everything. The
dogs I see around Orono are jubilant. Skunks have been seen coming
out of hibernation.
A great big shout out goes out to kids and adults who are able to stay
strong despite abuse of A listers. Also to our spring drunk animal
companions.
Julia Emily Hathaway


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