The Three Wishes: An Old Story (A Sunburst Book) by Margot Zemach

The Three Wishes: An Old Story (A Sunburst Book) Reviews

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  ♥♣Mary♦♠ If She So Pleases

  I didn't like this book when I was little and I don't like it now. The story goes about "be careful what you wish for" in the wrong way. It's not supposed to be about, "be careful to get the wording right," it's supposed to show you that always getting what you actually want doesn't bring perfection or happiness. But this book covers the former.
  
  Also, an old story from where exactly?
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  ❀angela

  the illustrations were fine. I was just underwhelmed by the story.
  
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  Prabhat sharma

  The Three Wishes: An Old Story by Margot Zemach Children’s book- I have read this book in Hindi. Translation is done by Murarilal Thanavi. A woodcutter, husband and wife lived in a small house near the forest. Their daily routine was to go to the forest to cut fire wood. They worked from morning till evening but many times they could not afford food for themselves. One day while they were cutting wood, they heard a faint voice “Help, someone help me” calling them. Both ran towards the voice. They found that a tree had fallen on the tail of an Imp. The Imp was tired and he not able to move. They pushed and promptly turned the tree to one side. Thus, the tail imp was released and the imp jumped as he was rescued. While departing, the Imp rewards them three wishes by saying, “Wish Wisely, my friends”. The words are Prophetic indeed. The poor woodcutter couple return to their house thinking about what to wish. Their choices are food, jewelry, house with garden and fruit bearing trees, as ass to carry wood from the forest, a horse drawn cab for them, gold coins in a large box, that we should have sufficient food so that we never remain hungry etc. He wished that they should have a cauldron like frying pan filled with meat. This wish was immediately fulfilled. It was kept on the burning fire on the kitchen. His wife angry with him for wasting one wish. In her anger, she wished that the pieces of meat should hang from his nose. Second wish happened. They made an effort to remove the hanging pieces of meat from his nose. But this was not possible. They were tired and fell down because of the struggle. Now, they understood that their other wishes could not be fulfilled. They desired the last wish- the meat pieces should leave his nose. They ate the meat for dinner. Both were satisfied with the day’s work. Illustrations are helpful to the reader to bind them to the script. While writing Children’s books, authors have to be creative, simple and bring moral messages to the fore. This book has won awards. I like this book.
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  Molly Cluff (Library!)

  The funny classic story of a poor couple being granted three wishes, then using them all up by wishing for (and unwishing) sausages. I don't know if the illustrations are spectacular by today's standards but the story's familiar and zany nature are the most endearing part.
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  Remy

  A cute story with messages of helpfulness, repaying debts, finding contentment with what you have, and not being greedy.
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  Linda

  This one's all right. A fairy tale that has been told in many ways about not acting rashly, etc. Again with the abrupt ending though. What does this author have against concluding sentences?
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  Mary

  On the front flap, it is explained that the author is bringing “new life to a traditional story”. Perhaps if I knew more about folk literature, I would have more of a basis for knowing what Zemach had changed and what exactly the “traditional story” is. But most children would not have that background either. Is this the story of the three wishes granted usually by a genie? I wish I knew. So while I throughly enjoyed the story and the illustrations, I can’t give this book high grades for citing sources.
  
  
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  Rebecca Knight

  Read this out loud to a group of 3rd graders, and they were totally in to it. I was kind of surprised they liked it so much, because it has a dated look and sound (it was published in the 80s). The art work is not that great, it is kind of dreary looking, and even the language of it is just not jazzy. But the story holds up, and the whole look and feel of it made for a change of pace from the super-charged, colorful, and glitzy modern books. This simple book really had the kids discussing what it means to waste a wish, and what a truly important wish is.
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  The Brothers

  A husband and wife are given three wishes for saving an imp. The spend all day thinking about what to wish for, but accidentally wish for silly things when the evening comes. Both boys cackled about the sausage hanging from the husband's nose.
  
  Nice illustrations.
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  Cana

  Mommy says: Be careful what you wish for! When a woodcutter and spouse get three wishes for a good deed, they find themselves in a pickle because they each speak before thinking.
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  Cheryl

  An excellent new take on an old fairytale. Be careful what you wish for!
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  Miss Kinders

  Another fantastic folk tale from Margot Zemach!