The Wishing GameThe Wishing Game
What it's about
Lucy Hart, a teacher's aide, wants to adopt Christopher, a little boy who has lost his parents, but she doesn't have enough money. When Jack Masterson, the reclusive author of the children's books that got her through her own lonely childhood, announces a contest on his island to win the only copy of his new book, Lucy enters.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a sweet, magical feel-good story.
You'll love it if you liked
The Lost Story
The Reading List
Remarkably Bright CreaturesGood to know
It deals with childhood neglect.
By the numbers
- Readers38 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller25 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
On our reserve shelf: it's well reviewed, but isn't currently a prize winner, a lifetime bestseller or a book everyone's talking about, so we don't rank it. We check again every month, and it can still turn up in your 50 once you've read most of our ranked books.
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
If you like this, read next
Divine Rivals
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Wings of Starlight
Tress of the Emerald Sea
The Knight and the Moth
Yumi and the Nightmare PainterExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Wishing Game worth reading?
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. Its Must-Read Score is 59.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Wishing Game about?
Lucy Hart, a teacher's aide, wants to adopt Christopher, a little boy who has lost his parents, but she doesn't have enough money. When Jack Masterson, the reclusive author of the children's books that got her through her own lonely childhood, announces a contest on his island to win the only copy of his new book, Lucy enters.
How long does it take to read The Wishing Game?
About 8 hours (305 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Wishing Game?
If you liked it, try The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer, The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams or Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.