Toby Speed

"Speed spins a comforting, old-fashioned tale, and Root's soft palette adds to the antiquated quality with amiable, expressive characters. A small book with a generous heart." -Kirkus Reviews

"This wish-fulfillment tale belongs in a storytime along with Millions of Cats." -Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"A fresh, funny, warm-hearted tale with captivating watercolor illustrations." -New Orleans Times-Picayune

Henry is so lonely! All he wants is a cat to keep him company. He wishes and wishes for one. But the fairy on the mountaintop is having a whole lot of trouble granting Henry's wish, because his words keep getting stuck in briers

and brambles

and bongololly trees.

Have YOU ever snagged a wish in a bongololly tree??

You have?? Well, maybe I should write a book about you, too!

In WHOOSH! WENT THE WISH, there are really two wishes -- Henry's and the fairy's. The fairy has just moved to the mountain, for she is tired of city life. She is looking for a wish to grant. It must be a sincere wish! And there's something else the fairy is looking for. You'll have to read the book to find out what it is.

I love cats, all sizes, shapes and colors. That's why I picked a cat to be just the thing to warm Henry's lonesome lap. With a cat you can look out the window and think about important things, and the cat just sits there and doesn't bother you. Cats have important things to think about, too.

THINGS CATS THINK ABOUT:

Whether it will rain.
Whether it will stop raining.
What's for supper.
What's going on at the other window.
Whether it's time to take a nap yet.