Winter can get boring. Willie craves excitement. He doesn’t understand what his grandmother means when she tells him to be careful what he wishes for he just might get it. When excitement comes in the middle of the night, bringing danger to his home and family, he realizes that it doesn’t always come in good packages.

Willie finds that winter on the farm is no fun at all and wishes for something exciting to happen. Cut off from school companions, with only bossy sisters at home, his father worn out by chores, and only his mother available to play games, he longs for the exciting olden days his grandmother describes. Then Willie discovers that getting one’s wish can have disastrous results. When his father accidentally banks the fire improperly, the household awakens to the roar of a stove so dangerously overheated that their lives are threatened. Neighbors arrive to lend their services, and the frightening incident ends without dire consequences.

About the Author:

Marc Harshman was appointed the poet laureate of West Virginia in 2012. Marc has eleven children’s books including THE STORM, a Smithsonian Notable Book. He has a full-length collection of poetry, GREEN-SILVER AND SILENT, as well as four chapbooks, including ALL THAT FEEDS US. His work has appeared in numerous publications as well as being anthologized by Kent State University, the University of Iowa, University of Georgia, and the University of Arizona.