Treehorn's Wish

The Adventures of Treehorn #3

by Florence Parry Heide

It's Treehorn's birthday and he discovers a genie in an old jug. But is it a genie or is it the man to read the gas meter

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Humor, Fantasy, Comics, Juvenile

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

"What do I like about writing for children? Everything," says Florence Parry Heide, the award-winning author of more than sixty children’s books, including the classic THE SHRINKING OF TREEHORN, illustrated by Edward Gorey. "I like the connection with children," the author says. "I like the connection with all kinds of book people. And I like the connection with my childhood self, which is the most of me. It is the most welcome and familiar of worlds. There miracles abound--indeed it is magical that something I might think of can be put into words, stories, ideas, and that those words end up in the heads of readers I will never meet."

Florence Parry Heide wrote SOME THINGS ARE SCARY, a humorous look at childhood bugaboos, more than thirty years ago. "I had finished another book and was in the mood to write something else," she says. "I decided to get some kindling from the garage, reached into the kindling box and--good grief!--grabbed something soft and mushy. I fled back to the house, scared to death." A brave return visit to the kindling box revealed the object of terror to be nothing more than a discarded wet sponge, but the thought remained: some things are scary. As she recalls, "What scared me as a child was that I’d never learn how to be a real grownup--and the fact is, I never did find out how it goes."


One thing Florence Parry Heide does have a good handle on is the concept of friendship, in all its humorous manifestations. THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR, a tongue-in-cheek tale cowritten with Sylvia Van Clief in 1967, pokes at the tendency of well-meaning friends to offer advice instead of help, and presents a valuable lesson about what true friendship means. "One of my many (true) sayings is ‘A new friend is around the corner of every single day,’ " the author declares. "Also true: Friendships last. And last."


Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Florence Parry Heide worked in advertising and public relations in New York City before returning to Pittsburgh during World War II. After the war, she and her husband moved to Wisconsin, where they raised five children, two of whom have cowritten critically acclaimed books with their mother. Florence Parry Heide now lives in Wisconsin.

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 5 out of 5]

All three of the Treehorn Trilogy could be seen as precursors to the continuing popularity of Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events. Especially as Edward Gorey illustrates all three books, in his deliciously morose fashion. This drily humorous miserable tale takes place on Treehorn's birthday; he's ignored by his parents every other day. Why should his birthday be any different?

Here's a sample to get the feel of it:

"Do you know what day it is, Treehorn?"
"Yes," said Treehorn. "It's my birthday."
"It's the first of the month," said Treehorn's father. "What does that mean to you?"
"It means presents and a birthday cake."
"What the first of the month should mean to us is that it is the day we must pay our bills. Man's credit is his honor."
"I have to get a new hat to go with my green suit," said Treehorn's mother. "Hats are coming back."

A genie in a jar in the backyard could save the day, but, well, if you wish for 1) a cake 2) with candles on it and 3) with your name on it, um, that's your three wishes, Treehorn. He has a little bit of Charlie Brown about him, does Treehorn. Augh!

[Calista · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this ILL because Edward Gorey does the artwork for it. It is rather a sad and depressing book. Treehorn is having a birthday, but his parents pretty much do not care a bit. They don’t have a cake for him or any presents save one, an old sweater. Treehorn is hoping for presents. His parents seem rather neglectful to me. They don’t even wish him Happy Birthday.

Treehorn found a bottle with a genie in it and he uses all 3 wishes on his birthday cake. It’s the only way he gets one. He wishes for a cake, for candles and his name on it. Poof, the genie is gone. What is so sad is how alone Treehorn seems. Even his friend doesn’t really seem to listen to him all that much. The book ends with Treehorn alone eating his cake, the genie is gone. I can’t find the humor in this. I think this is a tale about loneliness. It makes me sad.

The artwork is fantastic and I love the robe that the genie wears. It’s a story for older readers. I would call this a middle grade book. I am a bit disappointed in it.

[Rosemary Standeven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor Treehorn. Nobody really listens to a word that he says – not his parents, nor even his best friend, Moshe. They are all too wrapped up in their own world to notice little Treehorn. That is particularly sad, as today is Treehorn’s birthday. However, Treehorn finds a dirty jug in the garden, that turns out to be a genie lamp. How lucky can one unfortunate kid be? Now, Treehorn has three wishes (and a genie who also doesn’t really want to listen to him). What could he possibly wish for?
He is dragged off by his spendthrift mother (sexist stereotyping?) to shop for a new hat of “exactly the same shade of green” as her new suit. Treehorn tells everyone he meets about his luck finding the genie, and his one remaining wish. No-one really cares. The hat sales lady does make the only good and relevant suggestion: “You couldn’t wish for anything better than a mother who cares”. Yes, Treehorn. Wish for that! Unfortunately, Treehorn modelling the only behaviour he has ever seen, doesn’t listen.
Another wonderful story in the Treehorn series.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying these Treehorn books, but they're all kind of sad. Not like crying sad, but just kind of wistful.

[Max Nemtsov · Rating 5 out of 5]

вселенная, в которой живет главный герой этой трилогии, поистине кошмарна - и книжка, если вдуматься, вовсе не детская. тотальный разрыв связей и коммуникации - и никакого катарсиса в конце, никакого умилительного триумфа в духе "союзмультфильма", всё так же безнадежно, как и в начале. в этом и есть жестокая правда жизни, думаю, деткам придется в самый раз. депрессия гарантирована.

[Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The final book in the Treehorn trilogy and one I thought I had read but had not. Florence Parry Heide words coupled with Edward Gorey's illustrations lend to a perfect match far perfect, perhaps, than poor Treehorn has been lumbered with in the guise of his parents. In Treehorn's world everyone is talking but no one is listening or perhaps everyone is talking and listening but no one really cares - not even, humorously, the genie that Treehorn finds himself beholden with.

The pen and ink style is wholly typical of Gorey works so well in depicting this odd, slightly doleful little tale (I love the dog) and although Treehorn gets off lightly compared to some of the other children who are left to the illustrator's whim, it is fair to say that his life is not filled with wonder. Actually, in this case it is, yet even when he has the opportunity to change it forever, his sheer waniness (yes, I made a word up) means that he is incapable of doing so.

I snorted at some moments and have a huge soft spot for both the dog and Moshie.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are three Treehorn books, though I wouldn't go as far as to call the set a trilogy. None of the three seem tied to each other expect that they are all about Treehorn and his disinterested parents.

The series ends with Treehorn's birthday. Ever hopeful, Treehorn cleans out his closet in hopes of an extraordinarily large gift. Meanwhile the mother is having work done on the kitchen and is too preoccupied with her own project to remember her son's birthday.

Somewhere in the confusion Treehorn finds a jar containing a genie. Treehorn gets three wishes. Treehorn could wish for unlimited comic books or a huge gift but he opts for something more basic.

I think Treehorn's Wish is the first genie story I've read that doesn't have wishes getting out of control. It's a simple, sweet and sadly charming book.

[Kyrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poor Treehorn. It's his birthday, and his parents are more interested in what to make for supper, and a rise in the gas bill. He finds a jug in the backyard, cleans it, and a genie appears, granting him wishes. The genie is tired, bored, and only wants to sleep in his container. Honestly, the only two people in the book who seem interested in the poor kid are his friend and the meter reader.

[Dan Richter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Höchst deprimierend. Das Kind, dessen Eltern ihm denselben Pullover schenken wie letztes Jahr, findet eine Flasche mit einem Geist, von dem es sich einen Geburtstagskuchen, Kerzen und seinen Namen auf dem Kuchen wünscht.
Während am Abend die Eltern ein Fernsehprogramm über die Schädlichkeit des Fernsehens schauen, isst Treehorn den Kuchen allein.
Gorey wieder überragend.

[Mateen Mahboubi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last in the Heide/Gorey Treehorn collaborations, this volume maintains the high bar set by the first two. Heide's absurdist humour is great and Gorey provides the illustrations to bring it all together. Lots of fun!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel bad for treehorn! This is my favorite of the Treehorn books.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Treehorn finds a jug and is not quite sure whether his new friend is a genie or the meter reader. If he could wish for another jug, he might get three more wishes.

[Timons Esaias · Rating 5 out of 5]

It saddens me to know that in finishing Treehorn's Wish, Florence Parry Heide's third volume of the Treehorn Trilogy, I have exhausted the supply of Treehorn stories. No volume four. No hope that his parents will ever get a clue, and pay him some attention.
No more Edward Gorey illustrations, either, though they are relatively understated, for his work.
As in the previous two volumes, Treehorn starts out optimistically. It's his birthday, and he's expecting a lot of presents, because he didn't get much on previous occasions, and his parents will probably be wanting to make up for that.
He clears lots of space in his closet, and in his room. Then he goes outside and finds an old jug, with a cork in the top. He pulls the cork, and guess what?
[The Homeland Spoiler Suppression Agency has removed the remainder of this review, for your own protection. The author of this review recommended that you read the work for yourself. He will be enjoying a long period of contemplation, and if he changes his mind, we'll pass that information along, to those with the correct clearance.]

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these books! Parry Heide and Gorey are the perfect team for these off-center books about a strange little neglected boy who has no recognition of how neglected he really is. It's just his life, and he lives it, but being a fly on the wall to his experiences is a pure, delicious, subversive delight! Oh, Treehorn! You sweet little darling!

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sad little read.

[Madame Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poor Treeborn.

[Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor Treehorn! I love the dry humor of the Treehorn series.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t care for this one as much as the first. It’s so flat, his parents and Treehorn are both kinda pathetic.