Hardcover
Monster’s escape reveals true riches are love, freedom, and nature.

The Wishing Well

$32.99

  • Hardcover

    48 pages

  • Release Date

    6 October 2026

Check Delivery Options

Summary

In this emotionally rich story from bestselling author Gideon Sterer and award-winning illustrator Emily Hughes, a monster trapped at the bottom of a wishing well plots his escape, reminding us that true wealth is measured not in coins but in love, freedom, and the beauty of nature.

Plip! Plop! Plip! The coins fall down into the well, and at the bottom is the monster who must record all the wishes. The people wish for puppies, or ponies, but most of all, they wish to be rich. They thi…

Book Details

ISBN-13:9781454963615
ISBN-10:1454963611
Author:Gideon Sterer, Emily Hughes
Publisher:Union Square & Co.
Imprint:Union Square Kids
Format:Hardcover
Number of Pages:48
Release Date:6 October 2026
Weight:452g
Dimensions:12mm x 204mm x 304mm
Audience Age:4-8
A-Format
B-Format
C-Format
A4
The Wishing Well by Gideon Sterer - ISBN: 9781454963615
204 × 304 mm
mm / in
What They're Saying

Critics Review

“Sterer’s story is quiet, resonant, and meditative; Hughes’s illustrations reinforce the tone with a timeless style that captures the land’s rural, fairy-tale-like setting.”
–School Library Journal
“Readers will empathize with the monster’s desire to experience the world above and come to understand that many things in life are more important than money.”–Booklist
“Unhurried text and deliberately paced images that nod to classic fairy tales build to a satisfying story that speaks not only to the follies of getting and having but to the rewards of taking the long view.”–Publishers Weekly
A September/October 2026 Kids’ Indie Next Pick
–Indie Next

About The Author

Gideon Sterer

Gideon Sterer is a New York Times bestselling author who grew up in the woods of upstate New York. Not too far away, his parents owned a wildlife discovery center where he would run around after hours and let the animals out. Currently, he lives in the Hudson Valley with his family.

Emily Hughes is an internationally recognized and awarded children’s illustrator/author from Hilo, Hawaii. She currently lives and draws in East London, UK.

Returns

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.