Templeton Gets His Wish by Greg Pizzoli (review)

Young cat Templeton has had it with his family: his mom is grumpy, his dad is cranky, and his little brothers frequently help themselves to his best toys. When he sees a magazine ad for a wish-granting magic diamond, he quickly sends away for it (using his little brother’s piggy-bank money). With the diamond in hand, Templeton wishes his family away and revels in his newfound freedom and autonomy. Being alone soon wears thin, though, and Templeton decides to wish for his family’s return. A joyous reunion ensues, and Templeton happily returns to a life of taking baths, cleaning up, and sharing toys—but he hangs on to that diamond, just in case. While the plot isn’t particularly original, there is definite pleasure to be had in the wish-fulfillment fantasy of a life sans nagging grownups and annoying younger sibs, and the return of Templeton’s family provides satisfying security to the tale as well. The straightforward clarity of Pizzoli’s simply told narrative (“Templeton played. Templeton sang. Templeton lounged”) is matched by the crisp illustrations and the clean, retro styling of the art and the sans serif font. Pizzoli effectively employs a palette of tangerine, lime, aqua, charcoal, and white, giving the art an attractive of-the-moment retro feel. Use this solid little story in a family-or wish-themed story hour, or partner it with other titles by Pizzoli (The Watermelon Seed, BCCB 6/13, etc.) for an enjoyable author/illustrator study.