Ella May brings home a wishing stone and uses it to play a game of one-upmanship on her friends. When she sees how unhappy they become, she makes their wishes come true.
Recommended for Grade 2 and up ( )

While on a trip to the beach, Ella May is fortunate to find an extra special stone – a stone that has a white line all around it. Certain that her extra special stone has the power to grant wishes, Ella May decides that her first wish should be to show the stone to all of her friends. Before long, Ella May’s friends have gathered ’round her, hoping to touch the magical stone. When Ella May refuses to let them hold it, they decide to find their own special stones. Although the children find all sorts of interesting stones, none is equal to Ella May’s.

“You’re not nice,” Manuel said. He put his stone in his pocket and tromped down the sidewalk to his own house.
Ella May watched him go, “Hey,” she said, “I wanted Manuel to go home and he did. Thank you again, wishing stone.”

Unable to find their own wishing stones, Ella’s friends come up with a creative but short-lived solution to the problem. Unfortunately, nothing resolves the conflict amongst the children; Ella May wants to be the only person with a wishing stone and she wants to keep her friends. The other children are resentful of the stone and of Ella May.

When Ella May finally realizes that having a wishing stone is not nearly as special as having friends, the stage is set for a happy and imaginative solution that reunites the group.

A great choice for children aged four and up, Ella May and the Wishing Stone is a (32 page) story that invites readers to think about what it means to be a friend, how best to share treasured items and imaginative ways to solve problems.

Note – illustrations and children’s names depict a racially diverse group of friends.

On our list of Wonderful Canadian Picture Books
http://goo.gl/bxDAro ( )

Ella May discovers a special wishing stone. When her friends want to use her stone, Ella May says it is too special. When they find stones of their own, Ella May dismisses their stones, as the stones do not have the wishing stone’s line going-all-all-all the way around it. One friend creates a wishing stone machine, and all the friends pay a penny for a wishing stone to be made for them, and Ella May is sad and wishes she was the only one with a wishing stone. When rain washes away the line going-all-all-all the way around it off the stones, and Ella May is the only one with a wishing stone, she discovers she is not as happy as she thought she might be.

A gentle little story about the small delights and pains of being a child

“’Wish, wish, I’m making a wish
On my wishing stone.
And it will come true, oh yes it will,
Because I brought you home.’

The screen door of Ella May’s house opened. Out slid a little tray. On the tray were a tuna fish sandwich, a pickle, a handful of chips, and a glass of milk.

‘Look!’ she said. ‘I wished for my lunch and here it is. Thank you, wishing stone.’” ( )