Washing Wishes (oh the shame)

Due to popular demand I am posting the children's book I tried to write.

Okay, a whoppin' two people asked to read it, but that's more demand that I've ever had before so I'm taking it! But first I thought I'd post some reviews...

Your book is really good Christy. I loved every word. I am forcing all my innocent bystanders of friends to read it.

- My Mom


This book is better than 99% of the children's books I've read. If you don't have it published I am paying to publish it myself.

- One of my best friends Donna


So as you can see from totally unbiased opinions it is really, really good. Now for the review of the publishers I sent my book to:

We are not accepting unsolicited transcripts at this time (translation-you stink).

-Numerous Publishing Houses


Now for the book (I am incredibly embarrassed right now for some reason...oh yeah, I remember why...it's because I STINK).

Washing Wishes

Beyond the rainbows and above the clouds, in the magical part of heaven where wishing stars are found, lived Barnaby, the tiniest star in the heavens. So small was he that even though he tried with all his might, he was not able to grant wishes. Oh how sad this made him! More than anything he wanted to help make dreams come true.

He hoped and prayed that one night when he woke after a good day’s sleep he would find that he had grown big enough and strong enough to have the wish granting power he longed for.

Often he would visit Gramstar, the wisest wishing star he knew, and talk to her about his problem. As they talked, they would sit together and watch the wishes float up from the world below and try to guess what was inside each wish. The wishes rose up like bubbles and reminded Barnaby of crystal balls that shined and glowed with hope as they searched for a wishing star to bring them to life.

“I think this one is for a bike,” said Barnaby one night as he plucked a wish from the sky beside them. He shook the wish gently and looked inside and saw a black and white puppy wagging its tail. “No, it’s for a puppy,” he said with a smile as he let the wish go. He watched as it floated to another wishing star and clapped merrily when the ball popped into a burst of sparkles and light because he knew that meant the wish had been granted.

When the next wish came by he pulled it from the sky and said with a teasing grin, “I think this one is for an elephant on ice skates.” He was still laughing when he looked inside, but he could see nothing but a foggy mist. He shook the wish slightly, but still nothing appeared. His smile faded away as he looked at Gramstar and said, “I think this one is broken.” She took it from him and peered deep inside and then sadly she said, “No Barnaby, it’s not broken, it’s dirty.”

“How does a wish get dirty Gramstar?” Barnaby asked in confusion. He had never heard of a dirty wish.

“When a wish is made from a heart filled with doubt, that doubt covers the wish’s hope in darkness. These are dirty wishes and they cannot be granted,” Gramstar said, sounding as sad as Barnaby felt.

Barnaby’s heart was heavy as he asked, “What happens to the dirty wishes?” He was almost afraid to hear the answer. What could be sadder than a wish not granted? “The dirty wishes are eventually weighed down by the doubt that fills them and they sink down to forever rest on the top of the clouds,” Gramstar replied.

Later that night as the sun began to rise and it was time for bed, Barnaby couldn’t sleep. He tossed and turned in the sky as he thought about how many wishes must be trapped on the clouds wanting to be granted. He decided to go see for himself.

It was a long journey down to the cloud tops and Barnaby was very tired by the time he arrived. But he soon forgot all about his weariness when he saw all the dirty wishes before him. As far as the eye could see were clouds with wishes resting on them. Barnaby decided right then and there that something must be done to help them. His body might be small, but his heart was large and he was determined to come up with a plan to help the dirty wishes.

If only there was some way to magically wash the wishes, Barnaby thought to himself. Then they could float back up to the heavens and be granted. Suddenly Barnaby had an idea. Everyone knew that there was magic in the moonlight. What if he could wash the wishes in the moon’s magic beams? It might not work, but he was sure going to try!

A few night’s later when there was a full moon, Barnaby made the long trek to the cloud tops once again. This time he brought along a big bag that Gramstar had sewed for him. He filled it carefully with some of the dark and gloomy wishes and followed the moon’s beams to where they touched the ocean below. Once there he pulled out a wish and carefully dipped it into the wet moonbeams and then he gently scrubbed it. His eyes widened in surprised when he saw a pretty doll appear inside the wish and then he smiled because he knew his plan was working. He let the wish go and it floated toward the stars to fulfill its destiny.

Barnaby was so proud of his accomplishment! Even though he wasn’t big enough to grant wishes, he was still making a difference by helping wishes come true. He had never been happier than he was that night as he spent hour after hour washing wishes.

While he was washing his seventh bag of wishes he heard a splash behind him. When he turned to see what had made the noise he saw a small orange and white creature behind him. “What are you?” asked Barnaby in a nervous voice. “I’m a clown fish. My name is Gobbo,” replied the creature. “What are you?” the little fish asked. “I am a wishing star. My name is Barnaby,” Barnaby answered with surprise, he thought everyone knew what a wishing star was. “A wishing star, what’s that?” asked the tiny fish as he swam a little closer to Barnaby. “A wishing star is a star that lives in the heavens and grants wishes that are made on the earth below. Haven’t you ever wished on a star before?” He asked his new friend. “We can’t see the stars from deep in the ocean,” said Gobbo.

Gobbo stayed to help wash the wishes all through the night. They spent many happy hours talking. Barnaby told Gobbo of his dream to be able to grant wishes like all the other stars. Gobbo told Barnaby of his wish to be a real clown that could live among the land dwellers and make boys and girls laugh. As the night passed by they became fast friends. Barnaby was sad to head back to the heavens for he knew he would miss his new friend. Gobbo promised to return during the next full moon to help wash wishes again.

The months passed by and slowly the cloud tops were emptied of their doubt filled wishes as Barnaby and Gobbo washed each and every one. They had become the best of friends while they worked together side by side and Barnaby could see how very much Gobbo wanted to be a real clown. He wished there was some way he could help him.

One day Barnaby was summoned to appear before King North, the king of all the wishing stars. Barnaby had never been to visit the King before and he was very nervous. He couldn’t imagine what the King wanted with him, the tiniest star in the heavens. He wondered if the King had found out he was sneaking down to the ocean each month.


He hoped he wouldn’t be punished. Barnaby had to muster up all the courage inside his little star body to go and see the King.

“Barnaby,” boomed the King in a deep voice, “it has come to my attention that you have been traveling to the ocean during the full moon each month to wash the dirty wishes.”
Oh no, thought Barnaby, here it comes. I am in big trouble now. “Is this true?” asked King North? “Y-y-y-ess, King North,” stammered Barnaby. The next thing the King said startled Barnaby and filled his heart with joy. “I am very proud of you Barnaby. It is a very caring and selfless act you have been doing. I would like to reward your kind act with a wish. You may have anything your heart desires.”

Barnaby could not believe what he was hearing. He could use the wish to finally become the wishing star he’d always dreamed of being. He was so excited, but just before he told the King of his wish, he remembered Gobbo and his wish to become a real clown. Barnaby’s heart sank. If he wished to have the powers of a wishing star, then he could not wish for Gobbo to become a clown. He was torn between his own wish and his desire to grant Gobbo’s wish. Then Barnaby had an idea. “King North,” he said, “I wish to become a wishing starfish that lives in the ocean and grants the wishes of all the sea creatures that live there.”

And so it was.


Barnaby soon learned that there was a catfish who wanted to be a real cat and a tiger shark who wanted to be a real tiger. There was an angel fish who wanted to be a real angel and a sea horse that wanted to run in the Kentucky Derby. But before Barnaby granted any of their wishes there was one thing he had to do…

He turned Gobbo into a real clown.