A Wish in the Dark

***2021 Newbery Honor Book***

A Wish in the Dark is an enchanting fantasy tale based on Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables in a Thailand-inspired setting. Pong is born and orphaned in prison in Chattana, where – as the child of an incarcerated woman who has died – he has to serve his mother’s sentence. Pong escapes, but marked by his prison tattoo he will never be free from his past. Nok is the perfect daughter of the prison warden who is determined to track down the fugitive. In the process she uncovers secrets that make her question the truths she has always believed. A story of light and dark, privilege and poverty, the crucial distinction between law and justice, and the value of friendship.

Ages 8-12

Best Kids' Books of 2021