Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Aug 2012
256 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
Katerina has a dream. It's her papa's dream, too. Her family came to America to buy their own farm. But a year later, Papa is still working in the dangerous coal mine. Each day, the farm seems farther away.
Then Katerina is reminded of the carp that granted three wishes in an old folktale. When her younger sisters hear the story, they immediately make wishes. Trina doesn’t believe in such silliness - but what is she to think when her sisters' wishes come true?
A farm is still too big to wish for. But, with the help of the neighbor's handsome son, Trina starts building her dream with hard work and good sense. Then tragedy strikes, and it seems that nothing Trina wishes for will ever come true again.
With warmth and gentle humor, Jeannie Mobley tells the story of a girl whose determination is as inspiring as her dreams.
"Starred Review. The importance of ingenuity, faith, confidence, and the willingness to dream shine through in a rich story threaded with traditional folk tales, which offers realistic dilemmas and a vibrant setting and cast." - Publishers Weekly
"Starred Review. Weaving rich details of life in a mining town at the turn of the 20th century with the pacing of a good old-fashioned historical romance and conveying it all in Katerina's heartfelt voice, Mobley has constructed a world where one determined teenager with brains for business, the bravery to stand up for herself and the ability to find love helps make dreams come true. Ages 9 - 14." - Kirkus Reviews
"I adored this beautiful debut novel about a spunky Bohemian immigrant girl who dares to realize her family's American dream through creativity and hard work. The loveable characters, vivid setting, and magical folktales completely drew me into Katerina's world, and I didn't want to leave." - Laura Resau, author of Star in the Forest, What the Moon Saw, and Red Glass
This information about Katerina's Wish was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Jeannie Mobley is an archaeologist and professor who lives in Colorado.
The House on Biscayne Bay
by Chanel Cleeton
As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide.
The Flower Sisters
by Michelle Collins Anderson
From the new Fannie Flagg of the Ozarks, a richly-woven story of family, forgiveness, and reinvention.
The Funeral Cryer by Wenyan Lu
Debut novelist Wenyan Lu brings us this witty yet profound story about one woman's midlife reawakening in contemporary rural China.
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
