Barney Bipple wanted to be older, talk to his dog, and drive a nice big car. Turns out, when your change your appearance people don't recognize you, when your dog is literally named Snoozer he's not going to have interesting stories when he gets to talk, and when you drive a big fancy car as a kid you get arrested. I liked this story overall, it made me wish I had a cool neighbor or grandma to tell me about magical dandelion wishes, but we never lived near family growing up and my neighbor was in a big biker gang. This is the theme I wish the book took more seriously, the neighbor says very clearly to keep the wishes light, like for furs and diamonds, but Barney doesn't listen and gets in trouble. Having the dog talk or getting a new glove or gum or a frog is fine and relatively small, but a new sibling and a huge radio and a horse? These things would have been too much in reality and would have broke the neighbors rules. There isn't a clear line between wishes that won't get you in trouble and those that will. The art is whimsical and bright and fun, acrylic, watercolor and pen. I enjoyed the use of blown dandelions into magical swirls and twists. ( )

This kind of story absolutely charms children. Barney Bipple's neighbour, Miss Minerva Merkle, gives him three magic dandelions as a reward for his return of a lost diamond. She cautions: "Stick to simple wishes." Barney immediately wishes he were eight instead of six; no one recognizes him. He wishes his dog could talk; Snoozer only complains about dog food. He wishes for a long, shiny yellow car, but the police pull him over and then his Mom doesn't even know him. A call to Miss Merkle helps Barney reverse his wishes and steers him toward less complicated magic. The book closes with glimpses of Barney's "simple wishes" for a bike, a baby brother, a frog or a pony. Kellogg's illustrations are humorously detailed and add just the right touch to a funny and thoroughly enjoyable book.

The moral is clear: be careful about what we wish for, since what we wish for may be the last thing we want! Reality is a depressing thing......

Use for Readers' Theater. Classic Steven Kellogg illustrations.