The First Wish Read online

  The leaves rustled wildly on the trees. When a few more fat drops fell, Finn groaned.

  “Oh man!” he said. “I really wish it wouldn’t rain! Nico and I wanted to play capture the flag.”

  Willow looked up at the dark clouds and silently tapped the charm on her necklace.

  Suddenly the air turned colder, and the raindrops seemed to freeze. It was snowing!

  “This weather doesn’t make any sense,” said Jeanie. “I didn’t bring a coat today!”

  Willow shifted nervously. That wasn’t right. She gave her necklace a worried tug.

  A golden glow flashed. The sun burst through the clouds, and the whipping winds slowed to a gentle breeze.

  “That was, uh, pretty weird,” said Willow. She knew she sounded awkward.

  Finn pulled a yellow flag from his back pocket.

  “Who cares?” he said happily. “The game is back on! Wanna join?”

  “Um, no thanks,” said Willow, looking at Jeanie.

  Finn shrugged and took off.

  “Feel like going on the swings?” Willow asked Jeanie.

  But Jeanie didn’t answer. She just stared at Willow with her mouth wide open.

  Chapter 7

  WILLOW’S BIG SECRET

  “You… you… you made the rain stop,” sputtered Jeanie.

  Willow stared down at her feet. Her cheeks were pink, and she had the same flushed look on her face that she’d had during the dodgeball mix-up.

  “It went from raining to snowing to sunny in a few seconds. How is that even possible?” Jeanie asked.

  When Willow didn’t answer, Jeanie tapped her foot impatiently. She was not going to let this go until she got some answers.

  Willow sighed. Then she glanced over her shoulder A few kids darted by playing capture the flag.

  “Is there somewhere else we can talk?” Willow asked. “Somewhere quiet?”

  Jeanie nodded and led Willow over to a bench under the oak tree. The low-hanging branches created a little private lair. It was the perfect spot for sharing secrets.

  And Jeanie had a feeling Willow was hiding something.

  Something big.

  “So,” said Jeanie. “What exactly is going on here?”

  Willow took a deep breath and said, “The thing is… I’m sort of…” Willow trailed off. Jeanie couldn’t hear her.

  “What?” Jeanie asked.

  Willow covered her mouth and mumbled something that sounded like “Imkerndurfah.” Jeanie had the feeling that Willow was nervous.

  “I can’t hear you, Willow,” Jeanie said gently. “But it’s okay if you don’t want to tell me.”

  “No, it’s just that… I’m kind of…,” Willow said, turning to face Jeanie. “Well, I’m a genie!”

  “Right.” Jeanie nodded, but then stopped. “Wait—you’re a what?” she asked.

  “A genie,” Willow repeated.

  “Like… your name is actually Jeanie?” asked Jeanie.

  “No, like I’m a real-live wish-granting genie,” said Willow.

  Jeanie didn’t know what to say. She’d never believed in things like genies before. They weren’t real. They couldn’t be.

  But something strange had definitely just happened.

  “A genie,” Jeanie repeated. “You’re a genie, like, who does magic?”

  “Yes,” said Willow. “Well, sort of. I do grant wishes, but I haven’t quite gotten the hang of it yet. That’s why it snowed before it got sunny.”

  Jeanie stood up and looked around. “This is a joke, right? Where are the hidden cameras? Am I on TV?”

  “No,” said Willow. “This is not a joke. My mom is the director of the World Genie Association, and she expects me to be the best genie I can be. So when I passed the WGA entrance exam, we moved to Rivertown for my training.”

  Jeanie plopped back down on the bench. “So you’re really a… genie. And you moved to Rivertown for your… genie training.”

  “Yep. My mom said Rivertown is the perfect place for me to practice granting wishes,” Willow explained. “And if I collect enough skill badges, the WGA will make me a Master Genie! Can you believe it?”

  Jeanie shook her head in a daze. She wasn’t sure what to believe!

  Chapter 8

  WHAT-IFS

  Willow held her breath. She could feel her heart beating fast. She needed Jeanie to not freak out.

  The World Genie Association rules stated that genies-in-training were allowed to tell their secret to one person… and only one person. There was a section in the official genie manual all about it.

  The rule was very clear. It said:

  That meant if anyone else found out about Willow, she’d never grant any more wishes, or earn any badges, or ever become a Master Genie!

  Willow hadn’t planned to tell anyone her secret so soon. But Jeanie was clever and kind and nice—the perfect person to trust.

  Plus Jeanie was a really good student. Sometimes Willow had a hard time putting her skills to work. She could use all the help she could get practicing her wish-granting.

  Still, Willow couldn’t help thinking about all the what-ifs. What if Jeanie thought Willow was totally weird? What if she called Willow a liar? Or worst of all, what if Jeanie told everyone Willow’s big secret?

  She hoped she’d made the right decision by choosing Jeanie.

  Willow slid one hand behind her back and crossed her fingers. Then she slid the other hand back there and crossed those fingers too. She crossed her toes—and, for just a second, she even crossed her eyes. “So, what do you think?” she asked timidly.

  From the look on Jeanie’s face, Willow could tell she had a hundred questions on the tip of her tongue.

  “So how does it work?” Jeanie asked. “Can you grant your own wishes?”

  “No, that would be selfish,” said Willow. “Genies grant wishes to help other people.”

  “What about a bad wish?” Jeanie asked. “Like if someone wants to rob a bank?”

  “Nope. We’re not allowed to do anything harmful,” said Willow.

  A long minute passed. “What if someone wishes for unlimited wishes?” Jeanie said suddenly.

  Willow smiled. Jeanie had to be the most logical person she had ever met!

  “I’m pretty sure that’s against the rules,” Willow said. “But remember, I’ve still got a lot to learn about being a genie.”

  “Well, I think it’s…” Jeanie paused, and Willow’s heart felt like it might explode.

  “I think it’s—awesome!” Jeanie whisper-shouted. “And I promise not to tell anyone. You can trust me.”

  Willow let out a huge sigh of relief.

  Her secret was safe.

  Chapter 9

  MAGIC CHARM

  Jeanie couldn’t stop thinking about Willow’s secret.

  She thought about it while Ms. Patel handed back their spelling tests.

  She thought about it while she refilled Jelly Bean’s water bottle.

  She thought about it while she wrote her assignments down in her homework folder.

  Jeanie had a million more questions. But she knew she couldn’t let anyone overhear them. She had to wait until classroom 2B was packing up to go home.

  Finally, Jeanie caught Willow’s eye and motioned her over to the cubbies.

  “I understand why you grant wishes,” Jeanie began. “But how do you actually do it?”

  Willow gave her a nervous smile. “I’m still trying to figure that out. I know that the person has to look me in the eye and say the words ‘I wish.’ And I know that they have to really mean it. I can only grant heartfelt wishes.”

  “That makes sense,” said Jeanie thoughtfully.

  “But I’m still trying to get the hang of wish granting,” said Willow. “It’s not as easy as it sounds.”

  “You can learn anything with practice,” said Jeanie. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “But how do you know if your wish granting is working?”

  Willow lifted the gold charm around
her neck. “When a wish is about to be granted, my necklace glows.”

  Jeanie peered closely. It wasn’t a teapot or an elephant’s head after all. It was a magic lamp! The golden charm was even prettier than Jeanie had realized.

  “Wow,” Jeanie whispered.

  “Girls, time to collect your backpacks, please,” called Ms. Patel.

  Jeanie hurried to zip her bag. But then she stopped suddenly.

  “Wait!” she whispered to Willow. “Do you live in that lamp?”

  Willow giggled. “No, silly, that’s only in fairy tales. I live in a regular house. I bet it’s a lot like yours.”

  As they headed for the door, the bells on Willow’s bracelet tinkled cheerfully.

  “Hey,” said Jeanie, “speaking of houses, do you want to come over to mine this afternoon?”

  Willow smiled.

  Chapter 10

  PRACTICE MAKES ALMOST PERFECT

  Jeanie’s bedroom looked exactly the way Willow had pictured it.

  Her desk and closet were both as neat as a pin. Her bed was so perfectly made it looked like it belonged in a fancy hotel. And there was a huge bookshelf—organized alphabetically, of course.

  Willow was so glad her mom had let her go over to Jeanie’s for dinner. She already couldn’t wait for Jeanie to come see her room sometime! It was much different from Jeanie’s—Willow had a crystal collection, art supplies, and snazzy clothes scattered all over the place.

  Once the girls were alone, Jeanie got right down to business.

  “So what happens now?” Jeanie asked Willow. “If I wished for the world’s biggest ice cream sundae… I could have it?”

  “If you really want it, it’s yours,” said Willow.

  “Nah,” said Jeanie. “I don’t feel like ice cream right now.”

  “Is there anything you really want?” Willow asked. She needed to practice to earn her Basic Gifting Badge. “What about a pony? Or a diamond tiara? Or a day off from school?”

  Jeanie laughed and said, “Too messy. Too flashy. And do you know me at all yet?! I love school!”

  That’s when Willow got the perfect idea. She belly flopped onto Jeanie’s bed, wriggling and flailing until both pillows were on the floor and the comforter was twisted into a ball. Then she looked up.

  Just as she’d guessed, the mess definitely bothered Jeanie. She was scowling.

  “Well, go ahead!” said Willow cheerfully.

  For a moment Jeanie looked confused. Then she smiled.

  She looked Willow straight in the eye and said, “I wish my bed would go back to the way it was.”

  Willow stood and gave her charm a gentle tap.

  At first nothing happened.

  Then the charm began to glow. Slowly the pillows floated up into the air. The comforter rippled and stretched until it was totally smooth. The pillows circled and drifted back down to their original spots on the bed.

  Jeanie was shocked. “That’s amazing!”

  Willow laughed. “Oh, we can do better than that. Are you hungry for dinner?” Willow asked.

  “Well, I really wish we could have pizza!” Jeanie answered.

  Ding-dong!

  “Is that what I think it is?” asked Jeanie. She raced to the window. A guy in a red-and-white uniform stood on the front porch with a steaming box that said GIO’S PIZZA.

  Jeanie raced downstairs.

  Willow smiled. She’d only been in town for a couple of days, and she’d already made a new friend… and not just any friend. A friend she could share her secret with.

  Although Willow couldn’t grant her own wishes, it was sort of like her wish had come true too!

  More from this Series

  Relax to the Max

  Book 2

  Follow Your Art

  Book 3

  Not-So-Happy Camper

  Book 4

  About the Author and Illustrator

  TRISH GRANTED is not a genie, but she does believe in magic—especially the kind that can be found between the pages of a good book. When she’s not wishing on shooting stars or hunting for lucky pennies, she’s a children’s book editor who helps other authors sprinkle a little magic into stories of their own. Trish lives, reads, and roller skates in Brooklyn, New York.

  MANUELA LÓPEZ always wanted to be an illustrator. Luckily, her wish was granted! She has now illustrated many children’s books. She lives surrounded by colored pencils in a tiny but charming flat in Terrassa, a small city in the northeast of Spain. If you ever make a wish, she can’t grant it, but she can draw it!

  Visit us at simonandschuster.com/kids

  www.SimonandSchuster.com/Authors/Trish-Granted

  www.SimonandSchuster.com/Authors/Manuela-López

  Little Simon

  Simon & Schuster, New York

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  LITTLE SIMON

  An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division · 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020 · First Little Simon hardcover edition January 2021

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  Copyright © 2021 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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  Designed by Brittany Fetcho

  Jacket design by Brittany Fetcho

  Jacket illustrations by Manuela López

  Jacket illustrations copyright © 2021 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  Cataloging-in-Publication Data for this title is available from the Library of Congress.

  ISBN 978-1-5344-7466-6 (hc)

  ISBN 978-1-5344-7465-9 (pbk)

  ISBN 978-1-5344-7467-3 (eBook)