With a whimsical approach to children's literature that has been compared by critics to that of Joan Aiken, Anne Lindbergh, and E. L. Konigsburg, Megan Whelan Turner has found fans among readers and critics alike. With only two published books to her credit, Turner might be considered a novice, except for the fact that she has already garnered one of the highest awards that the American Library Association can bestow upon a children's book writer. In 1997 her novel The Thief would be one of four books designated as a Newbery Honor title; it would also receive the American Library Association's Notable Book and Best Book for Young Adults designations. Reassuring readers that Turner's talent is no one-time affair is her short-story collection Instead of Three Wishes. These seven imaginative tales again showcase their author's light, yet deliberate touch, introducing readers to likeable, realistic characters that deal with their...