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Joplin, Wishing: A Heartfelt Fantasy About Magical Wishes and True Friendship for Kids
While cleaning out her reclusive grandfather’s house, Joplin discovers pieces of a broken platter in a cookie tin. After having the platter repaired, Joplin wishes that she could both find a friend at school, and befriend the girl pictured in the platter. The next day, Joplin befriends a boy named Barrett, and also notices a girl outside her apartment. A girl who looks remarkably like the girl in the platter…
The girl introduces herself as Sofie, and she has a terrible secret. Cursed to grant wishes for the owner of the platter for all of time, she has been trapped for centuries. Joplin and Barrett vow to help her, but freeing Sofie is more complicated than they could have imagined, and the three friends end up against a sinister foe who could put them all in terrible danger.
The girl introduces herself as Sofie, and she has a terrible secret. Cursed to grant wishes for the owner of the platter for all of time, she has been trapped for centuries. Joplin and Barrett vow to help her, but freeing Sofie is more complicated than they could have imagined, and the three friends end up against a sinister foe who could put them all in terrible danger.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published June 13, 2017
26 people are currently reading
585 people want to read
About the author
Diane Stanley
80 books179 followersDiane Stanley is an American children's author and illustrator, a former medical illustrator, and a former art director for the publisher G.P. Putnam's Sons. Born in 1943 in Abilene, Texas, she was educated at Trinity University (in San Antonio, TX) and at Johns Hopkins University. She is perhaps best known for her many picture-book biographies, some of which were co-authored by her husband, Peter Vennema. (source: Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
February 3, 2021
What an amazing, magical story. I loved this. Joplins grandpa(her moms dad) has just died. He was a very famous writer. They, & her Aunt Jen(who is really her moms best friend. She also lives w/them. Not b/c of any financial reasons on either side, but they are just that close. Loved that.) go to clean out his house. Joplin discovers a broken platter inside a cookie tin, in his room. She has it repaired. One lonely sad night, she wishes the sweet looking girl painted on the platter could be her friend, as well as wishing for a friend at school. Her old bff left her for the “fashionistas”, who are just mean girls. They & others bully her pretty badly. The next day she sees a girl out in the garden-who looks a lot like the girl from the platter. At school that day, she also makes a new friend-Barrett. Barrett is awesome. She tells him her hunch about the girl she met in the garden. They go to her house after school, & she is still sitting there. Her name is Sophie, & they learn her heartbreaking story. She was trapped in the platter over 300 years ago, for the purpose of making wishes. Joplin & Barrett vow to help break the curse, & send her back to her family hundreds of years before. There is a terrible villain though, lurking about who could cause serious problems/danger. Such an incredible, unique story. All the twists in there too? I was so shocked! This is an amazing story about grief, loneliness, friendship, family, greed, & hope. The setting was so cozy too! A basement NYC apartment, w/an “upstairs Chloe”, & their hidden garden amongst the NY craziness. Like their own personal magical escape. I loved Aunt Jen too, & what she brought to the story. Barrett was just the friend Joplin needed, & what a great kid! Sophie was so charming. I loved her. I hated the villain, & was so angry at them! Lol great writing! That ending was amazing! It had me very emotional, in the best way. Then I read that authors note(always recommend doing that btw), & I got even MORE emotional. Talk about full circle. Highly recommended this beautiful story. Gorgeous cover by Jori van der Linde as well. Stunning!💜
July 6, 2017
I didn't know anything about this book when I started reading it (except that I like the author). It starts off contemporary realistic. There's a girl named Joplin who lives in New York City. Her famous eccentric grandfather has just died and she's being bullied about it at school (seriously, her classmates are so cruel). Joplin inherits her grandfather's broken antique painted pottery. It turns out to have magical properties and presents a mystery for Joplin to untangle.
Honestly, this is the kind of book I could probably take apart if I felt like it (the magic seemed to have a lot of holes in it and the heroes were impossibly precocious 12-year-olds) but I just enjoyed it. Joplin has a strained relationship with her single mother and her ache to feel close to her mom was palpable. When it came time to solve the problem presented by the magic delftware, it was worked out logically in a satisfying way.
This has a kind of fairy tale quality, but it's hard to explain without giving away the plot. Let's say there are aspects that made me think of Ella Enchanted.
Honestly, this is the kind of book I could probably take apart if I felt like it (the magic seemed to have a lot of holes in it and the heroes were impossibly precocious 12-year-olds) but I just enjoyed it. Joplin has a strained relationship with her single mother and her ache to feel close to her mom was palpable. When it came time to solve the problem presented by the magic delftware, it was worked out logically in a satisfying way.
This has a kind of fairy tale quality, but it's hard to explain without giving away the plot. Let's say there are aspects that made me think of Ella Enchanted.
February 2, 2019
The cover on this edition is so well done! I grew up in a Dutch-American community and there was delft everywhere. My favorite pottery will always be delft so I was immediately drawn into the story about the broken plate and the girl who can grant wishes. Joplin chooses the pieces of the plate and the tin containing them from her dead grandfather's home. When she returns home her mother's friend helps her get the plate repaired and Joplin makes her first wish. As she realizes the magic of the plate, Jopin is caught up in a mystery that intersects with her mother's past in ways no one realizes at first. A middle grade novel with themes including death, friendship, perspective and more. The ending is worth the price of admission. You may need to get our your tissues.
May 26, 2019
Loved this one the first time around. So glad it made the nominee list for the 2019-20 Mark Twain Award. Just reread it to prep for an upcoming Kid's Lit group and it totally holds up. In fact, the end had me reaching for the tissues yet again. My Dutch roots may give me an instant connection to the girl in the platter, but I do think there is much in this book to connect today's kids as well. I still love, love, love the cover, too. In the words of Joplin: "My mind was on bigger things: the problem of evil, the perils of immortality, and this really bad feeling I had."
August 30, 2019
Quick and satisfying read. I love how even the bad guy is a full-on person. Even the lawyer is a good guy. No cliches. Any questions a modern reader might have about the tropes of genies & magic (such as slavery & consequences) are answered. Joplin does seem a bit too empathic and wise, but then she's had an upbringing (and genes, if you believe they have an effect) that lend credence to her precocity. I thoroughly enjoyed this impulse grab from the library.
March 25, 2022
This is such a sweet middle grade book... exactly the kind of story that would have been a favourite when I was a child (and still deserving of 5 stars today). Joplin is a bookish middle schooler who's life has just been upturned when her grandfather, a famous recluse author passes away. When sorting through his belongings, she chooses a broken Delftware platter as her memento but is embroiled in a world of time travel and alchemy when she wishes the girl depicted on the plate to life.
I loved all the literary references (she is reading Anne of Green Gables when she wishes the little Dutch girl would be her bosom friend and makes another friend in the school library when she lends him her copy of The Hounds of the Baskervilles) as well as the little tidbits about the Sofie's origins in the Dutch Golden Age. At its heart, this book is about the importance of friendship and family and healing deep set intergenerational trauma/wounds from childhood. If you have read and enjoyed Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, I think you would really like this as well as there are some similar themes and magical realism present throughout.
I loved all the literary references (she is reading Anne of Green Gables when she wishes the little Dutch girl would be her bosom friend and makes another friend in the school library when she lends him her copy of The Hounds of the Baskervilles) as well as the little tidbits about the Sofie's origins in the Dutch Golden Age. At its heart, this book is about the importance of friendship and family and healing deep set intergenerational trauma/wounds from childhood. If you have read and enjoyed Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, I think you would really like this as well as there are some similar themes and magical realism present throughout.
April 29, 2018
Loved it!
I was mesmerized from the beginning of this book! I fell in love with the story ... Childhood grief can leave someone with questions even years later. I really like how this story comes full circle. The ending is incredibly satisfying.
I was mesmerized from the beginning of this book! I fell in love with the story ... Childhood grief can leave someone with questions even years later. I really like how this story comes full circle. The ending is incredibly satisfying.
January 7, 2022
Cute!!
But since I feel like being a bit petty, a quick subtweet (subreview?): if you don't like the kids of today, why would you write books for that age group? 🥴
2022 popsugar reading challenge: A different book by an author you read in 2021
But since I feel like being a bit petty, a quick subtweet (subreview?): if you don't like the kids of today, why would you write books for that age group? 🥴
2022 popsugar reading challenge: A different book by an author you read in 2021
September 21, 2022
I loved this book! It hit so many middle grade tropes on the head and was a superb fantasy!
Joplin's rich and famous grandfather dies and she's allowed to take one thing from his manse to remember him by, although she never spent any time with him in the first place because her mom was oddly estranged from him. She chooses a tin filled with the pieces of a broken piece of china. It's a shattered antique Dutch platter, actually.
When she takes the pieces to an antiques dealer, he gets all funny on her, at first trying to convince her it's worthless, then offering her $500 for it.
But Joplin's radar is up, and she won't give it to him for any amount. Later, her babysitter takes it to someone else to get it repaired, and a girl in blonde pigtails painted in the scene with the ducks suddenly jumps out at Joplin.
Joplin makes a wish, that the girl was her friend, because she's terribly lonely looking, just like Joplin feels. Her grandfather's death has pushed his eccentricities into the spotlight and the forefront of her schoolmates' minds, again, and the paparazzi outside her house don't exactly help when it comes to making yourself invisible at school.
And then the girl in the platter appears in the courtyard of Joplin's apartment complex, sitting on a bench. It can't be, Joplin thinks, but she talks to the girl, named Alice, and the girl is, indeed, alive. They agree to meet on the bench after school.
Joplin tells Barrett, her one kinda-sorta friend from school, and together they find Alice still waiting on the bench in the afternoon.
Around this same time, Joplin notices the antiques dealer sneaking a peek inside the apartment complex. But so does her mother, on the surveillance cameras. And she wants to know, who is he, and why is he interested in them? Mom's quickly brought into the story (which I absolutely loved!!!) and brought up to speed.
I won't spoil what happens next, just know, this was a great read and one I intend on buying as a mentor text. Enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog, The Fabric of Words, for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
Joplin's rich and famous grandfather dies and she's allowed to take one thing from his manse to remember him by, although she never spent any time with him in the first place because her mom was oddly estranged from him. She chooses a tin filled with the pieces of a broken piece of china. It's a shattered antique Dutch platter, actually.
When she takes the pieces to an antiques dealer, he gets all funny on her, at first trying to convince her it's worthless, then offering her $500 for it.
But Joplin's radar is up, and she won't give it to him for any amount. Later, her babysitter takes it to someone else to get it repaired, and a girl in blonde pigtails painted in the scene with the ducks suddenly jumps out at Joplin.
Joplin makes a wish, that the girl was her friend, because she's terribly lonely looking, just like Joplin feels. Her grandfather's death has pushed his eccentricities into the spotlight and the forefront of her schoolmates' minds, again, and the paparazzi outside her house don't exactly help when it comes to making yourself invisible at school.
And then the girl in the platter appears in the courtyard of Joplin's apartment complex, sitting on a bench. It can't be, Joplin thinks, but she talks to the girl, named Alice, and the girl is, indeed, alive. They agree to meet on the bench after school.
Joplin tells Barrett, her one kinda-sorta friend from school, and together they find Alice still waiting on the bench in the afternoon.
Around this same time, Joplin notices the antiques dealer sneaking a peek inside the apartment complex. But so does her mother, on the surveillance cameras. And she wants to know, who is he, and why is he interested in them? Mom's quickly brought into the story (which I absolutely loved!!!) and brought up to speed.
I won't spoil what happens next, just know, this was a great read and one I intend on buying as a mentor text. Enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog, The Fabric of Words, for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
April 13, 2019
Another Mark Twain 2019-2020 nominee ✅
The genre is fantasy. The story line follows two little girls and their tight knit family. Joplin has moved to a new town and there she finds an old platter hidden away in some boxes. Before she knows it the little girl that was originally on the platter is sitting right in front of her! She learns her back story and little does she know her mother also has a history with Sophie. Sophie helps mend some wounds in Joplin’s family but they also help Sophie get back to her precious life.
Sweet and very unique book 😊 I’m thinking 3rd through 6th grade would enjoy!
The genre is fantasy. The story line follows two little girls and their tight knit family. Joplin has moved to a new town and there she finds an old platter hidden away in some boxes. Before she knows it the little girl that was originally on the platter is sitting right in front of her! She learns her back story and little does she know her mother also has a history with Sophie. Sophie helps mend some wounds in Joplin’s family but they also help Sophie get back to her precious life.
Sweet and very unique book 😊 I’m thinking 3rd through 6th grade would enjoy!
June 18, 2018
When her famous, if eccentric, grandfather dies, the bullying at Joplin’s school escalates unbearably. Worse, Joplin’s former best friend, Abby, is in on it. Feeling more and more alone, Joplin finds herself drawn to the little Dutch girl etched into an old broken china platter she found in her grandfather’s house. After an idle wish that the girl could be her friend, Joplin awakes to find the girl sitting in their garden. The girl is Sofie, from 17th century Holland, who was enchanted into the platter centuries ago and forced to grant any wish the owner makes. As Joplin and her new friend Barrett learn more about Sofie’s past and debate the ethics of using the power that keeps her enslaved, they discover a greater menace – the alchemist who cursed Sofie and created the platter is alive and well…and will stop at nothing to get her back.
Joplin Wishing is easily misperceived as historical fiction, then as a standard fantasy/fairy tale-ish tale. In reality, it is a contemporary story about family, friendship and making the right choices when it’s hardest, with a swirl of magic thrown into the mix. Joplin is a wonderfully drawn character in a story that dives much deeper into responsible choices and friendship than readers may expect. While the “bad guy” is a bit two-dimensional and some of his methods seem unnecessarily extreme in order to add shock value, the story is full of twists and surprises that will keep readers intrigued through the end. A sweet, touching read with a little bit of bite to it.
Joplin Wishing is easily misperceived as historical fiction, then as a standard fantasy/fairy tale-ish tale. In reality, it is a contemporary story about family, friendship and making the right choices when it’s hardest, with a swirl of magic thrown into the mix. Joplin is a wonderfully drawn character in a story that dives much deeper into responsible choices and friendship than readers may expect. While the “bad guy” is a bit two-dimensional and some of his methods seem unnecessarily extreme in order to add shock value, the story is full of twists and surprises that will keep readers intrigued through the end. A sweet, touching read with a little bit of bite to it.
October 27, 2019
Mark Twain Award nominee 2019-20. It seems like there's one nominee each year with some magical element (magical pencil two years ago in All the Answers, a magical fish last year in The Seventh Wish), but I enjoyed this book much more than the other two--perhaps because there was more of an explanation of how the object came to be magical in this one; it was a better developed magical world, not just a random object. This book also had the realistic elements of making friends in a new town and dealing with parental issues and whatnot, so that made it more enjoyable for me as well.
October 22, 2019
I really loved the story in this book. I think it is because I would have loved this book as a child because I had a great imagination and probably would have spent hours looking at a platter and wishing the girl painted there could be my friend. And I loved the setting. Such a cozy way of thinking about New York. Basement apartment, "Aunt" Jen, Upstairs Chloe, and, oh MAN! the secret, hidden garden amongst the tall buildings and busyness. Loved that Joplin got to have a few bosom friends, like her mom and Jen were.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2017
I didn't want it to end! -10 year old reviewer.
June 3, 2019
This was a really nice bit of middle-grade magical realism.
December 22, 2024
This might’ve been more like a 3.75 but it’s good I like the plot and yeah also the cover is cute
July 2, 2017
So refreshing to read something that is so assured and does just what it needs to. I am not sure whether it will get awards buzz, because it is so straightforward and not obviously ambitious or in the zeitgeist, but it'd be hard to name a more expert book this year.
April 10, 2020
I loved this book!
April 5, 2020
3,5 stars for me. i cant put it into 4 stars, im sorry.
i like Joplin's character, and Barret too. i like the twist and the description about the magic.
But i'm sorry, the conclusion was just a meeeh.
such a disappointment 🙄
i like Joplin's character, and Barret too. i like the twist and the description about the magic.
But i'm sorry, the conclusion was just a meeeh.
such a disappointment 🙄
March 24, 2021
I loved it so much! There were one or two thing I was confused on, so you'll need to think while you read, but it was such a sweet story and amazingly crafted! EVERYONE must read it!!!!
June 10, 2019
Joplin never knew her grandfather but when he dies she and her mom still have to clean out his house. Her grandfather was a famous author and all her mom wants are his papers, but she does let Joplin have one keepsake. Joplin takes a broken platter in a tin. When she gets it home her mom's friend Jen helps her get it restored. The first person they take it to is Lucius Doyle who creeps them both out. Once the platter is repaired Joplin notices the young girl on it and wishes she had a friend like that. The next day the girl in in the garden waiting for her. Turns out Sophie's soul was trapped in the platter by a magician and she can grant wishes. Joplin and her friend Barrett resolve to help Sophie and get her returned to her own time and family.
I enjoyed this story even though there were certain elements that I didn't think worked as well as others. I liked the friendship that evolves between Joplin, Sophie and Barrett. I liked that Joplin tells her mom and Jen the truth about Sophie and they believe her. I really liked the twist about Sophie and mom's connection in the past. What I didn't think worked as well was Lucius Doyle. For a villain he wasn't very villiany. I also didn't really like how the situation was resolved. Seemed like a strange resolution for a middle grade novel. I will also admit that when I read that Jen was mom's best friend and had been their roommate I assumed there was a romantic relationship and was actually a bit disappointed when that turned out to be a wrong assumption.
I enjoyed this story even though there were certain elements that I didn't think worked as well as others. I liked the friendship that evolves between Joplin, Sophie and Barrett. I liked that Joplin tells her mom and Jen the truth about Sophie and they believe her. I really liked the twist about Sophie and mom's connection in the past. What I didn't think worked as well was Lucius Doyle. For a villain he wasn't very villiany. I also didn't really like how the situation was resolved. Seemed like a strange resolution for a middle grade novel. I will also admit that when I read that Jen was mom's best friend and had been their roommate I assumed there was a romantic relationship and was actually a bit disappointed when that turned out to be a wrong assumption.
February 13, 2019
this is one of those books that you can just tell was written by a grownup. the story is engaging with a nice tidy ending, a delicious villain, and a sprinkle of magic, but it fell a little flat for me-- the dialogue was unbelievable for fifth grade and the secondary "mean girl" plotline was forgettable. entirely readable, but not one i'll look for again.
March 23, 2021
This wasn’t my favorite Diane Stanley novel, as it was fairly predictable. But it was still enjoyable.
Note: There is a single instance of taking the Lord’s name in vain on page two, almost as if the editor wanted to make it clear this was a contemporary story, but it just felt out of place and out of character and would have been better without it. The rest was perfect for ages 10+.
Note: There is a single instance of taking the Lord’s name in vain on page two, almost as if the editor wanted to make it clear this was a contemporary story, but it just felt out of place and out of character and would have been better without it. The rest was perfect for ages 10+.
July 18, 2017
Clever, different, unique...I really enjoyed this book and it's mystery. Fun story.
October 28, 2017
This was a fun little story to read which had a little bit of everything in it, like time travel, magic, suspense, bullying, friendship, parental bonding and a puzzle to solve. The plot of the story is very unique, and the author has paced the story well in such a way that people of any age group would enjoy reading. The character development progresses nicely in the book, and you can see Joplin becoming more confident with the help of her friends. I especially liked the character of Barrett and the friendship formed between him and Joplin and Sophie.
I also liked the fact that Joplin gets her mom and Aunt Jen involved in Sophie’s predicament and they all get together to find a way to help Sophie. While a lot of these kind of books deal with the kids solving the mysteries by themselves, it was refreshing to see the whole family get together to help Sophie.
*The following paragraph has SPOILERS*
However, while I enjoyed reading this book, I always felt like it was missing something to make it stick out of the crowd. For one thing, I wish the villain of the story, Lucius Doyle was more dastardly. For someone who knows alchemy and the magical arts, I thought he would use his powers to get possession of Sophie in more sinister ways. Add to the fact that Sophie also has magical powers to grant any wish, I was expecting a grandeur showdown between the two. Instead what we got was the two parties resolving each other’s issues through a lawyer’s contract? Is the author trying to establish that feuds can be resolved only by hiring a lawyer to create bulletproof contracts? This seemed like a very unsatisfactory end.
Also, I felt like the book did touch upon the subject of bullying but did not really focus much to resolve it. When the story starts, we see how Joplin is bullied in school by the other classmates, so I thought that she would use Sophie’s help to get over the bullies. But once Sophie enters the picture, the entire focus of the book changes on how to help Sophie, and the bullies are just pushed out of the story. Speaking on unresolved, what happens to Chloe in the end? It would have been interesting to read how she reacted to Sophie’s disappearance once the whole matter was sorted, considering the fact that Sophie was living in her apartment.
Overall, I felt like this story had a lot of potential, but because of the loopholes mentioned above, it fails on being a memorable read. It has a good story, interesting continuation but a rather boring ending.
I also liked the fact that Joplin gets her mom and Aunt Jen involved in Sophie’s predicament and they all get together to find a way to help Sophie. While a lot of these kind of books deal with the kids solving the mysteries by themselves, it was refreshing to see the whole family get together to help Sophie.
*The following paragraph has SPOILERS*
However, while I enjoyed reading this book, I always felt like it was missing something to make it stick out of the crowd. For one thing, I wish the villain of the story, Lucius Doyle was more dastardly. For someone who knows alchemy and the magical arts, I thought he would use his powers to get possession of Sophie in more sinister ways. Add to the fact that Sophie also has magical powers to grant any wish, I was expecting a grandeur showdown between the two. Instead what we got was the two parties resolving each other’s issues through a lawyer’s contract? Is the author trying to establish that feuds can be resolved only by hiring a lawyer to create bulletproof contracts? This seemed like a very unsatisfactory end.
Also, I felt like the book did touch upon the subject of bullying but did not really focus much to resolve it. When the story starts, we see how Joplin is bullied in school by the other classmates, so I thought that she would use Sophie’s help to get over the bullies. But once Sophie enters the picture, the entire focus of the book changes on how to help Sophie, and the bullies are just pushed out of the story. Speaking on unresolved, what happens to Chloe in the end? It would have been interesting to read how she reacted to Sophie’s disappearance once the whole matter was sorted, considering the fact that Sophie was living in her apartment.
Overall, I felt like this story had a lot of potential, but because of the loopholes mentioned above, it fails on being a memorable read. It has a good story, interesting continuation but a rather boring ending.
June 15, 2017
I was checking in a book order of children's books and as I flipped through this to make sure all the pages were intact and not upside down, I started reading the first page. 3 hours later I finished the book. I really liked it. Who says adults can't stray over to children's books from time to time?
The story starts when Joplin's very famous author grandfather dies. He's been a recluse the past 30 years so Joplin has never met him. Her mother has kept their identity quiet because she didn't want the publicity as being his daughter.
Joplin is a 11 year old who lives with her divorced mother and her mom's friend Jen who is like an aunt to her. Joplin is a little different from the other kids in her classroom at school and when she enters middle school her best and only friend deserts her to hang with the popular crowd. Joplin is so lonesome.
As Joplin and her mother go to the funeral and close the spooky old house, Joplin's mom allows her to take one item. Joplin chooses a hand painted Dutch platter with a picture of a little girl looking over her shoulder. Even though the platter is broken into several pieces, Joplin feels a strong connection to the little girl. Aunt Jen takes her to a restorer of antiques in New York City who tells Joplin that the platter has no value, but then offers her $100.00 for it. When she refuses, he offers her $200.00 and when she refuses again, he offers $500.00. Feeling very uncomfortable, Joplin and Aunt Jen leave. Jen knows another restorer who completes the restoration and Joplin hangs it over her bed.
Things get more lonesome as Joplin's mom retreats into her room, mourning the death of her father. Aunt Jen gets engaged to her longtime boyfriend. Joplin feels totally and utterly alone. One night she looks at the platter and wishes that the little girl could be her friend and that she would find a friend at school.
This is a children's book--so magic happens. Both fantasy magic and real magic as Joplin comes into her own and learns many lessons about friendships. There is suspense, a big mystery and a happy ending. I highly recommend this book for ages 8 and up.
The story starts when Joplin's very famous author grandfather dies. He's been a recluse the past 30 years so Joplin has never met him. Her mother has kept their identity quiet because she didn't want the publicity as being his daughter.
Joplin is a 11 year old who lives with her divorced mother and her mom's friend Jen who is like an aunt to her. Joplin is a little different from the other kids in her classroom at school and when she enters middle school her best and only friend deserts her to hang with the popular crowd. Joplin is so lonesome.
As Joplin and her mother go to the funeral and close the spooky old house, Joplin's mom allows her to take one item. Joplin chooses a hand painted Dutch platter with a picture of a little girl looking over her shoulder. Even though the platter is broken into several pieces, Joplin feels a strong connection to the little girl. Aunt Jen takes her to a restorer of antiques in New York City who tells Joplin that the platter has no value, but then offers her $100.00 for it. When she refuses, he offers her $200.00 and when she refuses again, he offers $500.00. Feeling very uncomfortable, Joplin and Aunt Jen leave. Jen knows another restorer who completes the restoration and Joplin hangs it over her bed.
Things get more lonesome as Joplin's mom retreats into her room, mourning the death of her father. Aunt Jen gets engaged to her longtime boyfriend. Joplin feels totally and utterly alone. One night she looks at the platter and wishes that the little girl could be her friend and that she would find a friend at school.
This is a children's book--so magic happens. Both fantasy magic and real magic as Joplin comes into her own and learns many lessons about friendships. There is suspense, a big mystery and a happy ending. I highly recommend this book for ages 8 and up.
June 26, 2017
Part magical, part mystery, mostly realistic fiction, this book is a treasure.
Upon returning to school after her grandfather's funeral, Joplin knows she is facing two tormenting dilemmas - her ongoing friendless state and the certain harassment from her classmates about her famous, eccentric, all-over-the-news grandfather. Kids get suspended, a teacher handles things poorly and Joplin takes a few days off, too.
Joplin brought home a broken antique platter from her grandfather's house as a memento and has it restored with her aunt's help. While feeling sad and lonely she longingly looks at the girl in the platter and wishes for the girl to be her friend and to have a friend at school. The next morning she notices a girl in her garden who looks like...the now missing girl from the platter! And Joplin makes a friend at school. Life gets complicated with this friend who has no home of her own and needs food, shelter and truly wants to get back to the mid 1600s. Life gets dangerous when a man from the 1600s wants Joplin's magic platter.
Author Stanley brings us a main character who grows and develops, strong secondary characters, a great sense of place, and mystery and magic.
Starred review from Booklist is right on target.
Upon returning to school after her grandfather's funeral, Joplin knows she is facing two tormenting dilemmas - her ongoing friendless state and the certain harassment from her classmates about her famous, eccentric, all-over-the-news grandfather. Kids get suspended, a teacher handles things poorly and Joplin takes a few days off, too.
Joplin brought home a broken antique platter from her grandfather's house as a memento and has it restored with her aunt's help. While feeling sad and lonely she longingly looks at the girl in the platter and wishes for the girl to be her friend and to have a friend at school. The next morning she notices a girl in her garden who looks like...the now missing girl from the platter! And Joplin makes a friend at school. Life gets complicated with this friend who has no home of her own and needs food, shelter and truly wants to get back to the mid 1600s. Life gets dangerous when a man from the 1600s wants Joplin's magic platter.
Author Stanley brings us a main character who grows and develops, strong secondary characters, a great sense of place, and mystery and magic.
Starred review from Booklist is right on target.
January 17, 2019
When her estranged grandfather, a famous writer, dies, 11-year-old Joplin and her mom clear out his house. The one thing Joplin chooses to keep is a broken platter she found in a tin can. From there, chaos ensues. After an unsettling encounter with an overeager antique dealer named Lucius Doyle, Joplin has the platter restored elsewhere and she displays it, featuring a country scene and a blonde girl over her bed. Amidst a fallout with her oldest friend Abby, Joplin wishes for the blonde girl in the platter to be her friend, and the next morning, she discovers her wish has come true! Sofie appears in Joplin's garden and reveals that she was one a real girl...in 1600s Netherlands. Sofie was tricked by an awfully familiar antiques dealer performed magic to trap Sofie in the platter so that she could grant all his wishes, including the wish for immortality. When Doyle decides he no longer wants to live forever, Joplin must make a deal with Doyle in order to restore Sofie back to her actual place and time AFTER Sofie gives Doyle back his mortality. Joplin is an 11-year-old girl with a lot of spunk and self-reflection, and her hometown of NYC and her love of reading is apparent in her flare and penchant for thinking fast and dealing with wild situations as they come.
August 24, 2024
I found this book in a Book Barn where you stuff as many books as you can into a bag for ONE DOLLAR. I merely chose it that day because the cover is pretty and it peaked my interest. I choose it now, because it is so good! Heartfelt. Twists I did not expect. Just enough suspense. Not so much I was having anxiety attacks. And characters written so well, I need them to be real. I want them to be my friends. I want to brag about knowing them. I want to be in their life, because although Diane Stanley wrapped this book up in the best possible way, even though closure was met, I want more of this sweet little story. So, if Diane ever happens to read this review, maybe you could dream up another novel just as heartfelt with strong characters and a plot for (ALERT…SPOILER!!!) Sophie once she is wished back to Amsterdam. I would love nothing more than finding out (AGAIN…SPOILER!!!!) the history of that painting of Sophie with the shell necklace and how it not only survived generations but ended up with Jen. Great work Diane. You’ve made me a believer of your writing. Can’t wait to read more of your work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2019
Hummm...well written. Unexpected. Appropriately mysterious. Forthright, but odd.
When fantasy elements come into a story, I feel like these elements are intended to be allegorical. I wonder if I can take them at face value. And if not, I wonder if I’m smart enough to catch the real meaning. I don’t like that feeling. However, I don’t think the author intends to make her readers feel that way. Especially authors who write for younger audiences. This is very much a reflection of my comfort level with fantasy.
Under The Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald is another book for upper elementary to middle-grade readers which is set in New York and has a mystery to solve. There weren’t magical elements and it felt much more relatable to me. If you love stories set in New York about smart kids who solve mysteries and problems—I highly recommend reading these two books and comparing them. Also in this grouping of books is From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konisburg.
I very much liked Ms. Stanley’s book, Bella at Midnight.
When fantasy elements come into a story, I feel like these elements are intended to be allegorical. I wonder if I can take them at face value. And if not, I wonder if I’m smart enough to catch the real meaning. I don’t like that feeling. However, I don’t think the author intends to make her readers feel that way. Especially authors who write for younger audiences. This is very much a reflection of my comfort level with fantasy.
Under The Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald is another book for upper elementary to middle-grade readers which is set in New York and has a mystery to solve. There weren’t magical elements and it felt much more relatable to me. If you love stories set in New York about smart kids who solve mysteries and problems—I highly recommend reading these two books and comparing them. Also in this grouping of books is From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konisburg.
I very much liked Ms. Stanley’s book, Bella at Midnight.
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