Annika's Secret Wish [Hardcover]

Beverly Lewis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1999 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

A heartwarming Christmas story about a little Swedish girl who learns the importance of giving and the power of Christ's sacrificial love. Ages 2 and up.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"With beautiful illustrations and a heart warming story of sacrificial love, this book could well become a Christmas classic." -- Provident Book Finder, Nov-Dec 2001

About the Author

Beverly Lewis was born in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country. She fondly recalls her growing-up years, and due to a keen interest in her mother's Plain family heritage, many of Beverly's books are set in Lancaster County.



A former schoolteacher, Bev is a member of The National League of American Pen Women—the Pikes Peak Branch—and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Her bestselling books are among the C.S. Lewis Noteworthy List Books, and both The Postcard and Annika's Secret Wish have received Silver Angel Awards. Bev and her husband have three children and make their home in Colorado.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers; Reprinted edition (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764221817
• ISBN-13: 978-0764221811
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 11.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #779,520 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've had my nose in a book, for as long as I remember. When I was about 9 years old, I started writing my own stories. By sixth grade, I'd hand-written a 66-page semi-autobiographical book titled, "She Shall Have Music."

After I was married and our three children were in middle school, I began submitting articles and short fiction to various magazines.

My first book (Holly's First Love) was published in May 1993, the start of a 14-book series for pre-teen girls. Soon after, my first chapter book was published for 7-10-year-old readers ("Big Bad Beans") which later became part of my 24-book series, The Cul-de-Sac Kids. I wrote another long-running series for girls, titled "SummerHill Secrets," which was set very close to Neffsville, PA, where I grew up--near the heart of Amish country.

But it was the story of my grandmother Ada Buchwalter's shunning by her ultra-strict father and subsequently her old order Mennonite community that nudged me toward writing adult fiction. THE SHUNNING was published in 1997 by Bethany House Publishers, and along with its sequels, has touched a nerve in millions of readers intrigued by the Plain culture of Lancaster County, PA. The Hallmark Channel will air the movie, "Beverly Lewis's The Shunning" on April 16, 2011 at 9 EDT/8 Central.

My passion for Amish-related stories continues to keep me up at night, and I'm presently writing the third book in my new series: The Rose Trilogy, due out September '11.

When I'm between writing deadlines, I enjoy hiking in the Rocky Mountains with my husband. Cooking from scratch, playing Mozart at the piano, and making family memory albums, as well as traveling to meet my devoted readers during book tours, are some of my very favorite things. I also adore reading biographies and memoirs, as well as classic literature.

Book Two of my present series: THE JUDGMENT, will be released on April 5, 2011.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Annika's Secret Wish is a Wish Come True, September 20, 2000

By 

June Jagunic (Cortland, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Annika's Secret Wish (Hardcover)

Even if the story were not so poignant a study in the selflessness of a young girl with her own special wish, the illustrations, worthy of consideration for the Caldecott Medal, would be reason enough to purchase this beautifully done book.

Every child has their own secret wish and Annika's is to have a beautiful black pony. According to Swedish tradition, the person who gets the almond in their Christmas pudding has a better chance of getting their wish. At ten years old, Annika has yet to find that almond. But even when she does find it, the spirit of Christmas supercedes her own desires.

The story is a lovely testimony to the greater joy found when practicing the principle "it's better to give than to receive."

This book will definitely be a lovely gift to give and receive!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice, but there are many better books out there, December 12, 2008

By 

itsjustme (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Annika's Secret Wish with CD (Hardcover)

From the moment we meet Annika, she's daydreaming of finding the almond in the Christmas pudding. For ten years she's wished for it, and this Christmas is her last chance. (Author Lewis doesn't explain why, but presumably because she'll be considered too old for the tradition the following year.) But her brothers - including the youngest, Davy, who can walk only with a crutch - also pine for the Christmas almond, for tradition has it that whichever child finds it in their pudding will be granted one wish. Annika hopes for a beautiful black horse to call her own.

When Christmas arrives and the children are served rice pudding, Annika can hardly hold back her excitement...when lo! She feels a hard, almond shape in her pudding. Yet just as she's about to announce her good fortune, her father carries young Davey to the table. "What would make Davey most happy this Christmas?" Annika wonders. "Dear little brother. How he longed to run and play. To walk without a crutch. And finding the almond would surely make his heart glad...What would Jesus want me to do?" Annika thinks.

Secretly, she switches plates with Davey, and as her little brother whispers his wish, Annika is the only one who hears what he longs for. Tears come to her eyes because "she knew the almond could bring smiles and laughter, but only God could make a miracle."

What I Like: The basic idea for this story is sweet, and as parents we can always use books portraying unselfishness in a positive light. Also, the illustrations by Pamela Querin are gorgeous: realistic and detailed and full of light.

What I Dislike: There's a lot of description and not much action in the first 14 pages or so of this book...much more than is typically seen in picture books. All of this could have been condensed to make much stronger picture book writing. Too, younger readers may not catch what Davey's wish is. It's never spelled out plainly, and many will find it too subtle to catch upon a first reading.

Overall Rating: Good.

Kristina Seleshanko
Managing Editor, Christian Children's Book Review

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!, December 2, 2002

By 

Lover of Books "A Mom" (The Middle of Nowhere, Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Annika's Secret Wish (Hardcover)

As a book loving family, we have many books, but few capture the warmth & beauty in the illustrations as here! Each page brings bright sunrays and . . . just BEAUTY!

My husband is Scandenavian, and we enjoy the rice pudding each year, complete with the almond hunt. What a delightful way for my girls to look forward to this tradition!

The moral of the story is so pure and honest, as Annika struggles with her own desire to do right and yet to please herself. A virtue seldom seen in our time! (Sad but true!)

An incredible book!