Guys Read: Believing in Brooklyn

Benny’s friend Ray come up with his craziest invention idea yet: a machine that grants wishes.

But when Benny realizes he has some wishes that need granting, he starts to wonder if it might just work. Ray’s invention is just a stick-figure sketch taped above the bedroom fireplace, but Benny cannot stop thinking about his sick grandma coughing in the living room.

Late at night, he whispers a couple of private tests toward the wall, asking for earplugs to shut out his worries and a whole pizza from Pino’s.

Finding a pair of Sony headphones and a box of leftover slices on his bedroom stool leaves him completely stunned.

Someone has to be sneaking into the apartment, and Benny has to figure out whether his friends are playing him or if something impossible is happening right on Second Street. A short story from Guys Read: Thriller, edited by Jon Scieszka.
School Drama: Between passing notes in history class and dodging a varsity basketball player twice his size, Ray has his hands full trying to impress Sylvia Lawson.First Love: Benny can barely find his voice around Julie Bauer, three lockers down, until an unexpected movie invite forces him out of his shell.Unlikely Hero: Dropping pocket change outside the Seventh Avenue bodega is second nature to Benny, who looks out for his neighbors even when life at home gets heavy.Identity and Self-Discovery: Desperate to comfort his ailing grandmother, Benny risks wishing for the lost silver anniversary necklace she treasures most.