Anything
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
6 STARRED REVIEWS • AMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE MONTH • KIDS' INDIE NEXT PICK • 2025 GOOD HOUSEKEEPING KIDS BOOK AWARD WINNER
“An unforgettable story about change with a loving father-daughter bond at its heart.”—Matt de la Peña, Newbery Medal–winning author of Last Stop on Market Street
Newbery Medalist Rebecca Stead’s first picture book is a transporting tale about the power of an honest wish, the courage to speak it out loud, and the imagination to bring it to life.
What’s more powerful than a secret wish? A wish you say out loud.
Anything paints a tender picture of a father and daughter moving into a new home. Dad brings a birthday cake for the new apartment to celebrate their new beginning and tells his daughter she can wish for anything (or, more precisely, “three Anythings”). Over the course of the day, she wishes for some of her favorite things, including a rainbow and “the biggest slice of pizza in the whole world."
But she keeps some of her wishes inside. Because what she really wants is to go back home to their old apartment, with its big blue bathtub and space in the closet for hide-and-seek. When she finally admits this last wish, her dad takes her on a journey, and by the book’s final pages, she is home . . . in every way that matters.
Pairing an enchanting story from Rebecca Stead (author of the Newbery Medal-winning When You Reach Me) with delightful artwork from Gracey Zhang (illustrator of the Caldecott Honor-winning Noodles on a Bicycle), Anything is pure magic. A story that will resonate with every young reader, it is a powerful reminder that sometimes making a wish is a way of telling ourselves we're ready for something new.
BIG FEELINGS: Change can feel hard or even scary. This book about moving is for anyone facing new beginnings or uncertainty and the emotions that come with navigating the unknown, from fear and anxiety to excitement and hope. It’s a reassuring and uplifting read that shows a child—and her dad—using their imaginations and emotional connection to make room for something new.
FATHER-DAUGHTER LOVE: This is a heartwarming portrait of a beautiful father-daughter relationship built on love and trust. By the end of the story, she follows his example of generosity and is able to grant his wish, however small. This pitch-perfect ending will stay with readers long after the last page turns.
Perfect for:Kids facing change, new beginnings, or uncertaintyParents seeking a comforting, uplifting book to share with childrenEducators and therapists looking for resources to coach young readers through challenges and changeFather’s Day or birthday gift for dadFans of Rebecca Stead books, including When You Reach Me, The List of Things That Will Not Change, and The Lost LibraryFans of Gracey Zhang books, including Noodles on a Bicycle, Lala’s Words, and The Upside Down Hat
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A child grieving a move to a new apartment narrates this musing moment-by-moment story by Newbery Medalist Stead, making her picture book debut. Zhang (Emergency Quarters) works in close, spidery ballpoint lines and splashes of color to capture the child slumped before a chocolate cake that's meant to celebrate the family's first night in apartment 3B. "Apartments don't have birthdays," the child says. "That's why I put zero candles on the cake," the father smoothly replies, "Plus one, for good luck." He invites the child to make a wish, leading to an agreement of three wishes—three "Anythings." Alternating with the child's sensory perceptions, longing remembrances of the family's previous apartment, and "secret" wishes that can't be met, the Anythings are granted. A rainbow appears painted on a bedroom wall, dinner includes "the biggest slice of pizza in the whole world," and Thursday bath night is abandoned. ("I have an important announcement," Daddy says. "Today is not Thursday.") That night, awakened by a passing siren, a deeper, fourth Anything emerges: "I want to go home." In the sequence that follows, this tender portrait captures a child met where they are by a parent who, with patience and humor, offers all the comfort the child needs—free of judgment or pressure. Character skin tones take the white of the page. Ages 3–5.
