Anything

by Rebecca Stead, Gracey Zhang (illustrator)

“An unforgettable story about change with a loving father-daughter bond at its heart.”—Matt de la Peña, Newbery Medal–winning author of Last Stop on Market Street


Newbery Medalist Rebecca Stead’s first picture book is a transporting tale about the power of an honest wish, the courage to speak it out loud, and the imagination to bring it to life.

What’s more powerful than a secret wish? A wish you say out loud.

Anything paints a tender picture of a father and daughter moving into a new home. Dad brings a birthday cake for the new apartment to celebrate their new beginning and tells his daughter she can wish for anything (or, more precisely, “three Anythings”). Over the course of the day, she wishes for some of her favorite things, including a rainbow and “the biggest slice of pizza in the whole world."

But she keeps some of her wishes inside. Because what she really wants is to go back home to their old apartment, with its big blue bathtub and space in the closet for hide-and-seek. When she finally admits this last wish, her dad takes her on a journey, and by the book’s final pages, she is home . . . in every way that matters.

Pairing an enchanting story from Rebecca Stead (author of the Newbery Medal-winning When You Reach Me) with delightful artwork from Gracey Zhang (illustrator of the Ezra Jack Keats Award-winning Lala’s Words), Anything is pure magic. A story that will resonate with every young reader, it is a powerful reminder that sometimes making a wish is a way of telling ourselves we're ready for something new.

SINGLE PARENT BOOK FOR This book is perceptive and relatable, inspired by Rebecca Stead’s childhood living half-time with her dad. Rebecca wanted to write a book about a father and daughter finding each other in the world of the imagination and has been crafting this one for nearly twenty years.

BIG Change can feel hard or even scary. This book about moving is for anyone facing new beginnings or uncertainty and the emotions that come with navigating the unknown, from fear and anxiety to excitement and hope. It’s a reassuring and uplifting read that shows a child—and her dad—using their imaginations and emotional connection to make room for something new.

FATHER-DAUGHTER This is a heartwarming portrait of a beautiful father-daughter relationship built on love and trust. By the end of the story, she follows his example of generosity and is able to grant his wish, however small. This pitch-perfect ending will stay with readers long after the last page turns.

Perfect facing change, new beginnings, or uncertainty (such as moving, divorce, loss, or grief)Parents seeking a comforting, uplifting book to share with childrenEducators and therapists looking for resources to coach young readers through challenges and changeFather’s Day or birthday gift for dadFans of Rebecca Stead books, including When You Reach Me, The List of Things That Will Not Change, and The Lost LibraryFans of Gracey Zhang books, including Lala’s A Story of Planting Kindness, When Rubin Plays, and the many award-winning titles she has illustrated

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Family, Fiction, Emotion, Love, Juvenile

56 pages, Hardcover

Published April 29, 2025

About the author

Rebecca Stead is the New York Times bestselling author of When You Reach Me, Liar & Spy, First Light, Goodbye Stranger, Bob, and, most recently, The List of Things That Will Not Change. Her books have been awarded the Newbery Medal, the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Fiction and the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize.

Rebecca lives in New York City, where she is always on the lookout for her next story idea.

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m batting 1000% with author Rebecca Stead: When You Reach Me, Liar & Spy, Bob and The List of Things That Will Not Change rank amongst the best books I’ve ever read. Not best children’s books. Best books.

Now Stead branches out with this picture book, one perfectly illustrated by Gracey Zhang. When a girl and her father move into Apartment 3B, they celebrate with a birthday cake for their new home. What will the daughter wish for on the candle? Dad tells her to wish for anything (ergo, the book title). To tell any more would ruin this wonderful picture book that discusses the true nature of home. Adults will love this book as much as the kids do.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Chronicle Books in exchange for an honest review.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A girl and her dad have moved into apartment 3B. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t feel the same as their old apartment. To celebrate moving in, Dad has gotten a cake with one candle, and the daughter can make three wishes. But, what should she wish for? “Anything,” Daddy said.

Since she misses their old apartment, she is sad that her room is different, so she wishes for a rainbow in it. She also doesn’t like the bathtub or the nighttime noises. As her dad comforts her, she realizes that home is anywhere they are together.

This book can comfort kids with any kind of change or loss. Even though the story doesn’t state why the girl and her dad had to move, it could be due to divorce, a job change, or various other reasons. The reason doesn’t matter, but how the girl copes with this big change in her life does. The simple pen-drawn illustrations show a just-moved-in apartment with boxes and personal items strewn about. The illustrations exaggerate the girl’s wishes like a huge slice of pizza, which will make kids giggle.

For kids who need help adjusting to a change in their routine or life, ANYTHING can be a comforting read. It’s also rare that there are books that celebrate the relationships between fathers and daughters. This story encompasses a parent’s love for their child and the dream to give them everything they wish for…even when maybe you can’t.

[Mahin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anything is a whimsically illustrated story about moving from a child's perspective. the creative and colourful drawings were my favourite part of the book, i loved their texture. the ending was a bit too vague and sudden though. it undermined all the build-up and the layers which could've been explored further. i would've liked to see more of this sweet father-daughter duo.

[Ann Haefele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming and whimsically illustrated story about a little girl not pleased with the need to move to a new place with her dad. The dad is my hero with how he helps his daughter make their new apartment feel like home, while not brushing off her feelings.Ending was a bit abrupt, but overall it’s a winner that pulled on my heart strings.

[Sherri Silvera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this author. Loved the illustrations.

[Elora Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations are bomb and the story is wonderful

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

So lovely.

[ani 🧿 rav · Rating 5 out of 5]

another children’s book that made me emo in public. a genre

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story of a father helping his daughter acclimate to a new apartment with 3 wishes over a single candle cake for the birthday of their new apartment. Charming illustrations by Gracey Zhang add so much warmth to this sweet story in an oversize picture book format.

[DaNae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Transitioning to a new home is hard. Nothing is the same or as good as you had it before. Stead shows us a child and father working through the awkwardness.

Well done, but more of a therapy session than a story.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great story that will come in handy for kids who might be nervous about a move. I loved the father and child relationship and appreciate that the child is wishing for things they can't have, but understands that those things aren't possible. The father is able to provide fun things that fulfill even imaginative wishes. The illustrations are attractive and fun. Color is used really well, splashing across the page when the parent and child are having fun, and disappearing when things are scary or sad.

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richie’s Picks: ANYTHING by Rebecca Stead and Gracey Zhang, ill., Chronicle, April 2025, 56p., ISBN: 978-1-7972-1515-0

“Why moving is stressful for preschoolers:
Loss of familiarity: Preschoolers see their home as their ‘safe space,’ and moving takes that away, creating a sense of uncertainty.
Disrupted routines: The chaos of moving disrupts their daily schedules for meals, bedtime, and playtime, which can cause stress.
Fear of losing belongings: Young children may not understand that their favorite toys and furniture are being moved with them and may develop a fear of losing them.
Lack of control: Moving is something they have no control over. They are told their home is changing, which can feel overwhelming.
Heightened anxiety: Children can sense their parents' stress, which can amplify their own anxiety.”
– Google AI Overview

“Snow is cold, rain is wet
Chills my soul right to the marrow
I won't be happy 'til I see you alone again
'Til I'm home again and feeling right”
– Carole King, “Home Again” (1971)

“‘Apartments don’t have birthdays,’ I told Daddy. And we just moved in today. So Apartment 3B is zero years old.’
‘That’s why I put zero candles on the cake,’ Daddy said. ‘Plus one for good luck.’
Then he told me to make a wish.
‘What should I wish for,’ I said.
‘Anything,’ Daddy said.
‘Anything?’
I can wish for very hard things.
But Daddy didn’t look scared.
‘How many Anythings can I wish for?’ I asked him.
He scratched his head. ‘Maybe three?’

Having just moved into a new apartment that lacks the familiarity of the old apartment, a girl and her dad are working on getting acclimated. But the young girl is struggling over the loss of the familiar.

“I missed the big blue bathtub and the spicy smell inside the coat closet and the tree outside our kitchen window. I made a secret wish that we never had to move at all.
I kept that wish inside while I brushed my teeth.
I kept that wish inside while Daddy tucked me into bed with Brown Bear and Green Mouse.
And I fell asleep under my rainbow stripe with that wish still inside me.”

ANYTHING by Rebecca Stead explores anxiety in children through the story of a young girl who, with the support of her father, is processing her change of environment. She contemplates a series of “secret” wishes in addition to three spoken wishes that she verbally shares with her dad.

Children who have experienced the disorientation of moving to a new home, and children who have had other stressful changes, will find common cause with the thought process in which the young girl engages as she deals with her change and fears.

Expect that familiarity with this tale will really help some kids take the edge off of a future move to a new home, or mitigate some other equally-stressful disruption in the comforting routines in their young lives.

I found the father’s enthusiasm and support in helping his daughter become more comfortable with their new home to be really terrific. All in all, ANYTHING will make an especially great circletime read for preschoolers up through second graders.

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read and loved four novels by this author (as a fan of the book A Wrinkle in Time since it was published when I was a child and that has always ben a favorite, the book When You Reach Me was a perfect read and is also one of my favorite books) and am looking forward to her novel that will be published in a couple of months. I’d like to read all of her novels. When I first noticed this book I’d assumed that it was another novel but even when I realized it was a picture book I wanted to give it a try.

How can such a short little book affect me so deeply?! It did though. I was nearly crying with emotion as I read and I laughed at the last page. I didn’t think I liked the second to last page but the last page proved me wrong, and was perfect.

The illustrations are beautiful, and smart too. I love the way colors are used. I appreciate that there is a photo of what is probably the father in the story and the mother who isn’t in the story.

The pictures and story work together brilliantly.

This is a story about a loving father and daughter who have just moved apartments. I felt fond of both, surprisingly strongly given how pithy the book is but the story was poignant. What does make a place home?!

I love that they live and lived in an apartment. This picture book is not alone in showing that but most picture books, other children’s books and other books have characters living in houses.

I honestly hadn’t been expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised.

This is a perfect book for children who have had or will have to move, for children from one parent families and for kids who might benefit from reading about other children who have had major changes in their lives. It’s also a story for all children and many older people because it’s superb.

ETA: I love it even more. I see another reviewer think the child is a boy and I thought this child is a girl. It's great if it can be read either way!

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can never have enough books for young children about dealing with change. It is a hard concept for them...

It is the first night in a new apartment for a father and his daughter. To celebrate they share a chocolate cake (her favorite) with one candle (since they have lived there for 0 years, it is 1 to grow on) to blow out. She is allowed to make 3 wishes for "anything". Those that she tells her father (a rainbow in her bedroom, the biggest slice of pizza in the world for dinner, and that today was not Thursday (because it is her Bath Day) are granted. Silent wishes (that the tall slide was shorter, the smell of paint in the apartment would go away, and that they didn't have to move) she makes are not. When she is awakened at night by strange noises and sights, she calls out, "Daddy!" And makes one more wish: to go home. He picks her up and carries her from room to room in the new apartment several times until she calms down and he tucks her back in bed.

Stead's text hits just the right notes for the first night in a new home. She does not say why they moved (or where Mother is), as those are not really relevant. It is about becoming comfortable and feeling safe and about making new memories in a new environment. It is direct and to the point.

Illustrations were rendered by Gracey Zhang in ballpoint pen and gouache paints. They are light and whimsical - just the bare bones to perfectly scaffold this story.

A touching father-daughter story that could be used to start a conversation with a child who is having difficulties with a change in home.

Highly Recommended for grades PreSchool-grade 2.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving is hard but in Rebecca Stead’s new book, a wonderful father makes a new apartment feel more like home.

Warm text is beautifully augmented by Gracey Zhang’s fabulous ink and gouache paint illustrations. Those illustrations are arranged in completely unique ways on nearly every page-full spread, in a trio of vertical panels, small groupings, and on and on. Stead’s father-daughter main, and only, characters, are settling in to their new home and dad decides to celebrate the one day “birthday” of the apartment with cake and 3 anything wishes. Those wishes lead to things that make the young girl happy but the third, moving back to the old home, can’t happen. However, holding his daughter close, the two make a pretend walk around the new apartment and she quietly observes the new and the comfortable things all around her and goes to bed feeling far more “at home” than before.

Visually, ANYTHING is stunning and the story’s theme of “change” will be familiar to all children even if they have never experienced moving from one home to the other. It may take some guidance on the part of a teacher, parent, or other reader to help listeners realize that even in change there are good things, some of them old and comfortable (like such a wonderful father!!!) and some of them new and exciting.

Excellent choice for libraries (home, public, school, classroom) serving preschool through grade 3. Would make a terrific resource for a counselor’s office as well.

Thanks for sending me a finished copy, Chronicle Books.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the day they move into their new apartment, Dad has her favorite chocolate cake for his daughter. She announces that apartments don’t have birthdays, that Apt. 3B is zero years old. Dad says that’s why he zero candles on it, but one for good luck. He asks her to wish for three Anythings as she blows out the candle. Her first wish is for a rainbow in her new room. Dad paints her a huge rainbow by lunchtime. She saves her other wishes for later as they walk to a nearby playground with a very tall slide. She wishes it weren’t so tall, but nothing happens. She and Dad buy plants for the new apartment, unpack, and she wishes 3B didn’t smell like paint, but I that’s the way rainbows smell…in the beginning. Then she wishes for the biggest slice of pizza in the world, and gets it. But she still misses the big blue tub in their old apt, the tree out the kitchen window and more and wishes they hadn’t had to move. A blaring fire engine wars her in the night. Dad comforts her and takes her piggy back on a long train ride to home, carrying her round and round the rooms of their new apartment before tucking her into her bed in their new home.
Gracey Zhang has illustrated this warm and comforting father/daughter store in scribbled pen and ink splashed with vivid primary colors that brighten the pages and show their loving relationship.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Once I saw Rebecca Stead’s name, I couldn’t hit the request button quickly enough!

This one is adorable but bittersweet. A little girl and her father are celebrating their new apartment’s birthday. When her father suggests she wish for “anything” when she blows out the candles, the little girl wishes for “three anythings.” The first is a rainbow, which her father immediately paints on her wall. But the rest are harder, mostly because she wishes they didn’t have to move at all. It’s a picture book, so there’s no backstory on why they had to move, or what might have happened to mom, or how much had to change. The little girl is mature enough to know that what she wants isn’t possible, so she asks for tangible things, like the world’s biggest slice of pizza. Ultimately, her father helps her come to terms with their new living situation (when she asks to “go home,” he carries her on a ride around the new apartment until she falls asleep).

The illustrations are really striking - mostly black and white, but with pops of blue, yellow, red, and green. Weirdly, I'm getting Corduroy vibes, for reasons I can't totally explain. Another one I’m excited to see in print!

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh what a lovely book!!

A young child an their dad have moved into a new apartment and are celebrating with chocolate cake that has one candle on it for a wish. The child asks their father what they should wish for.

ANYTHING
says the Dad; wish for three anythings.

So begins an adventure of learning a new home, hoping for certain things [and not always getting them], and finding the child's three anythings. It is also about the struggle of moving to new places that feel strange [including new sounds and shadows, and how glorious it is when Dad is there to answer their call for help], and how this amazing parent helps his little feel better about it all.

Absolutely fantastic, with gorgeous, touching illustrations, everyone who reads this book will love it [it is just so very touching], it will resonate with adults [and maybe even remind them of time with their own parents when they too were little] and I think you will find that everyone will want to read this over and over.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca Stead, Gracey Zhang - Illustrator, and Chronicle Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young child and their father have moved to a new apartment. The child is not happy with the move and feels uncomfortable. Readers initially encounter the child with a cake having a birthday party for the apartment they just moved into. When the child is encouraged to make a wish they ask how many wishes they can have because they can wish for hard things. Dad says three. The child first wishes for a rainbow in their room and their wish is quickly granted by Dad. But next the child wishes for a couple of things that are out of anyone's control, the slide in the playground to be shorter and for the apartment not to small like paint; nothing happens. The next wish is easy: pizza for dinner and they wish for the biggest slice of all. As the child goes to bed a passing fire engine creates a scary environment and they call out for their father. The child wishes they could go home. Dad picks the child up and carries the child around the living room, around the kitchen; around and around until the child falls asleep.

A great story about big changes and making the best of difficult situations.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Change is the theme of "Anything". Children have a hard time adjusting to change, especially when they are young. To ease the transition to their new home, the father made a birthday cake for the little girl to celebrate their first day there. Her father had placed a candle on the cake and told her she could wish for anything. A little girl asked, "How many anythings can I wish for?" Her father said three. She wanted a rainbow in her room as her first wish. Several of her next wishes did not come true, including the height of the slide in the park across from their new apartment. Because she was very hungry, her next wish was for a HUGE piece of pizza. On Thursdays she has to take a bath, so her last wish was that it wasn't Thursday. It was not Thursday, as Daddy announced. The little girl became sad again when it was time to go to sleep because she missed her old house. Then her daddy had another surprise in store for her.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: The cake was chocolate. Chocolate is my favorite cake. But something was wrong. "Apartments don't have birthdays," I told Daddy. "And we just moved in today. So apartment 3B is zero years old." "That's why I put zero candles on the cake," Daddy said. "Plus one, for good luck." Then he told me to make a wish.

Premise/plot: A little girl is troubled by a recent move....and her dad spends the entire book reassuring her. That's the most simple plot summary. The book celebrates the love of a father and daughter through a [rough] transitional period. She uses her three wishes for 'anything' to cope with the many changes going on in her life. Her dad is super-calm and understanding, truly going out of his way to show how much he loves and treasures his daughter.

My thoughts: I liked this one. It is Rebecca Stead's first picture book; she usually writes books for middle grade. This is exactly the kind of book that adults love.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

First be sure to peek under the dust jacket; the cover of this book is exquisite!

What does it take to make a new house or apartment feel like home? This is a very sweet story about moving to a new apartment. To celebrate, dad makes a birthday cake for the apartment with just one candle. When his daughter blows it out, she can wish for anything. She negotiates and gets three anything wishes. Now what do you think she will wish for?

The story is told through the eyes of a young girl who is very unsure about this new place that definitely does not feel like home. Fortunately she has a very loving and creative dad who understands.
And that breakfast sounds yumny!

The illustrations are quite lovely and all the rainbow colors are very expressive. Plus the spread with the fire engine... intense!

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son and I read this and it was perfect for us with transitioning for our very approaching move. He liked that the illustrations were unique and I related to him drawing in pen and how you can even make simple lines and pictures turn into a book. We talked after reading about how home can change physically, but who is in your home no matter where it is makes it home. We discussed even though the boy in the book missed his old home with the memories he had made in it, that he would make new memories in his new home and always have all the new and old memories no matter where he went. This is a cute book for kids simply discussing change and we enjoyed it and the realistic feel of the pictures. Thank you Goodreads Giveaways for the gifted copy for our little home library.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quiet, touching picture book about a young girl and her father who have just moved into a new apartment. To help her adjust, her father gives her a chocolate cake to celebrate the new apartment's zero birthday as well as three wishes for anything. Some wishes are easy like wishing for a rainbow in her bedroom, the biggest slice of pizza, and not having to take a bath. However, others aren't. The daughter secretly wishes the slide near their apartment wasn't so tall, the apartment didn't smell like paint, or that they had never moved. Change is tough, but the father is very attuned to his daughter's emotions so she feels heard and safe and eventually at home. A poignant story that does a lovely job of making a common experience feel relatable and special.

[Sadie-Jane Huff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 097 of 350 ~ 2025

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Loved the artwork and loved the story. I was, however, curious about the circumstances. Beautiful single parent storybook.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story told with the authentic voice of a child about the difficulty a little one has in moving to a new apartment and adjusting to all the different things around. In this heartfelt story, the father helps the child feel at home in a new place. There is definitely a sad overtone to this story, leaving the reader (adult reader, at least) wondering the back story for why this small family had to make this big change. There are no hints about that, no mention of a missing mom or a new job that forced the move. There is lots of love and trust in this story, which build the beauty of it.

[Charley Goodyear · Rating 5 out of 5]

We join a young child and their father on moving day in their new apartment. With a birthday cake for their new home, our protagonist gets to wish for 3 "anythings". Their biggest wish they keep deep inside until it works its way out. I loved this book's simple yet effective communication of the feeling of longing and wishing for things that you cannot control. The art style is a wonderful combination of inked lines and bursts of painted color, often highlighting wishes and joy. I look forward to sharing this book with my students.
Thank you to Netgalley and Chronicle Books for the review copy, all opinions are my own.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little girl and her father are moving into a new apartment. But there are things she misses about her old place including an awesome big blue tub. Dad is doing his best to settle them in including buying a cake to celebrate the apartment's birthday and tells her she can have a few wishes where she can ask for "anything"-- three of them.

It's sketch-style illustrations makes it feel homey and comfortable just like the relationship between the girl and her dad as they embark on a new adventure together. A wholesome story.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 3 out of 5]

This picture book is about a little girl and her father who have just moved to a new apartment. The girl is struggling with the change and misses their previous home, and the father does all he can to help her adjust and make things special for her. It's a sweet story in many ways, but I found the ending very abrupt, and I also wish that the story had addressed her feelings and questions more directly.

I received a temporary digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rebecca Stead’s ANYTHING captures the challenges that come with change through the lens of a loving relationship between a father and his young daughter. On their apartment’s “first birthday,” the father offers the little girl three wishes (“anythings”), then does his best to satisfy her requests with creativity and patience that helps to ease her uncertainties. Gracey Zhang’s illustrations go from simple and sparsely colored to vivid and detailed to match the change of emotions in the book. A beautiful and reassuring take on weathering transitions and new beginnings.