Molly Bell and the Wishing Well

by Bridget Geraghty

Molly Bell is an eleven-year old girl who used to be a whimsical, sporty type of a child with a zest for living. All that has been turned upside down by the untimely death of her mother two years ago. To make matters worse, her father is getting remarried to a high-maintenance beauty that Molly seemingly has nothing in common with, and she comes with an annoying six-year old son, Henry, who finds a way to wreck everything in his path. Molly can't find anything about her new circumstances to be excited about, until her Aunt Joan tells her about the wishing well at Molly's grandparents' farm. According to Aunt Joan, every wish she ever made there came true. And it just so happens that Molly and Henry will be staying at the farm for a week while their parents are on their honeymoon. Molly is convinced if she could just find that wishing well, she could wish for her mom to come back to life and everything will be okay again. But Molly is in for a few surprises, and more than a few hard lessons about being careful what you wish for when the consequences of Molly's selfish desires wreak havoc on her entire family. Can Molly make things right again through the wishing well? Or will she need to find it within herself to bring back the joy in her life that has been missing all this time?

Genres: Middle Grade

144 pages, Paperback

Published December 29, 2016

About the author

Bridget Geraghty lives in northern Illinois with her husband and three children. She taught elementary school for eight years before focusing on writing. It is her sincere hope that her stories inspire and uplift the minds and spirits of her young readers.

Reviews

[Fani]

“Don’t forget about the wishing well. Every wish I ever made there came true.”

The story of "Molly Bell and the Wishing Well" begins with a happy event, a wedding. All the secondary characters are excited, the atmosphere is celebratory and yet the feelings that the reader feels throughout the story are those of sadness and grief and that's because we experience every event through the eyes of our heroine.

Molly lost her mother and now she has to witness her father getting married to another woman and bringing into the family her son. The only refuge Molly has in the story is a wishing well that was built in her grandparent's house and through every wish she makes, the reader experiences her journey as she tries to accept her new family and heal from her feelings of pain and grief after the loss of her mother.

“It’s as if a part of her lives on in you now, Molly”

The book was well written and the flow of the story was really nice, which is always a plus with younger readers, but i felt that the plot was way too simple. Most of the book Molly spends her time doing chores in her grandparent's farm and only towards the end of the book does she start making wishes in the well. The results of each wish and the way Molly's problems were resolved in the end were way too simple as well.

Also, Molly's character sometimes felt unrealistic, it was hard for me to believe that a young person like the heroine, despite all her frustration over her mother's death and her father's marriage, would be so well behaved and do all those chores that Molly did on the farm. There was also the fact that after only one important event, Molly changed completely her attitude and accepted everything, some change in her was expected, but the way she accepted everything so easily was hard to believe.

I voluntarily reviewed the free copy that i received via Reading Alley.

[Jacinta Carter]

This was a sweet, coming-of-age, middle grade novel about a young girl coping with her mother's death and learning to accept the fact that her father has remarried and she now has an annoying step-brother. Her grandparents are the best characters, not only because they act as the voices of reason that these novels are so often missing, but also because they have the most interesting backstories. The other characters fit into pretty stereotypical roles, but it's still a nice story.

[Dena McMurdie]

What a sweet story for all ages!

Molly is a young girl whose world is turned upside-down with the death of her mother. While visiting her grandparent’s farm, she visits a secret wishing well where she makes wishes and learns about self-discovery, new relationships, and growing up.

I love each character in this book and the role they play with Molly as she goes on a journey to find happiness. The author did a perfect job of making each character important and personable to Molly and the readers. I especially loved Grandma Saige and Grandpa Cody. They show old- fashioned love, patience and wit with Molly and Henry.

I highly recommend this book for youth who are experiencing change. It’s about overcoming grief, having faith and learning to love and accept – especially when things happen that we don’t “wish” for.

Source: I received a digital copy of this book from Bridget Geraghty, the author.

Reviewer: Hilary wrote this review for Batch of Books.

[Crazybooklady]

Molly Bell and the wishing well is about Molly, an 11 year old girl whose father just got remarried to a woman named Faith. Molly sees Faith and her younger son Henry as an intrusion in her life. Molly and Henry are sent to Molly's Dad's parents house while they go on their honeymoon. There are some heart wrenching moments and some heart warming moments as Molly is trying to come to terms with the marriage and her new little brother.
The story takes a look a grief and coming to terms with loss.
There are several parts of the story where it is obvious that Molly is suffering from depression. I liked how the adults in her life tried to be supportive without pushing her or trying to force her to be happy. It was obvious she wasn't trilled about the marriage or new little brother but she was never scolded for either thought. She was allowed to feel her feelings. There was only one time she was a bit out of line in her behavior and her grandmother made it know she wasn't happy with what Molly did but never yelled or got really angry at her.
I do have a minor issue with one of the events that happens in the story. Molly says something heartbreaking to read, but also not overly healthy and it was never addressed afterwards. Now it could have just been a conversation off page, but I really think it should have been addressed.
Overall the story is well written and a really well done look at life, loss, and family.

[Ottilee B.]

A great read.
I really liked this book! With all the blended families coming together, it is wonderful to read a story from a kid's point of view that sounds like an eleven year old's voice and not some Adult giving you a lesson in manners or "this is how you act". I'm a KID! I want to BE a kid!

When Molly's dad marries Faith, mother to the disgusting eight year old named Henry, she knows her life will change. And just like when her mom died, her life will not be changing for the better. She and Henry spend the next week at her grandparents farm with a wishing well on the property. Each day Molly goes to the well and makes a wish. And they come true!

Henry follows her one day to see where she goes, Molly yells at him and makes a not-nice wish -- that also comes true! Long story short, in speaking to her grandpa she realizes her wishes came true through work and understanding. She realizes her loved ones will always be with her no matter what.

And that she's still in a Family.

I was given a copy from Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.

[Carrie Westmoreland Kurtz]

Molly Bell and the Wishing Well is a sweet little middle grade book that I found so charming. This book teaches you to live in the now and to learn to live with the life you are given. The message is clear to me as an adult but I'm sure that middle graders won't feel like they are earning a life lesson while reading. They will just be entertained!

When the author, Bridget Geraghty, sent me a review request I jumped on it! I don't read very many middle grade books but this one sounding lovely. I was right! It was definitely lovely. I hope to read more from Bridget Geraghty someday soon!

*Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Aurora Batty]

Have you ever had something that you wished for with all your heart? What if those wishes were to come true? That is exactly what happens in this delightful tale of a young girl who had her life turned upsidedown. Molly Bell learns that you should be careful what you wish for like most wishing story morals. But, she also learns that even wishes that come true may not be in the way that you think.
You can read the full review on my blog here: https://aurorabattyskiddiethingies.wo...

[Mummy Cat Claire]

Molly's is 11 years old. Her mother died several years before and now her father is getting married. Molly isn't sure what to think of Faith and she's not super thrilled about a brother.

After the wedding, Molly and Faith's son, Henry, go to stay with Molly's grandparents farm. Aunt Joan had spoken of a wishing well on their property and Molly really wants to find it. To check it out. To make a wish.

"The wishing well? What wishing well? Aunt Joan sighted. Oh, it's at Grandma's and Grandpa's farm, where your dad and I grew up."

While Grandpa Cody is not supportive of Molly going to the well, her grandmother is and Molly soon learns what is behind her Grandpa's dislike of the old well. She also learns more about her family and herself.

This is a cute, coming of age story. Quite short, to the point. I got more out of this novella than I have out of some full length novels. I like what Geraghty showed the reader. I think Molly is a good character who represents all of us. I think we all should seek out our own wishes and look for the beauty in the journey. As short as the story is, there are definitely some talking points to discuss with others.


Overall, cute story. I liked it better than I thought I would.


Content: clean

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Cat]

It's hard enough to be a child without losing a parent and having your only parent remarry. So much of life is out of ones hands. Sad that some children have to go through this, not only due to death, but divorce, too. Told from young Molly's POV, the story feels authentic. She's a child feeling her way to acceptance of what she can not change. It's a good story and may well help some child to cope with their own loss. I'd recommend it to kids 3-5th grade.
I received a Kindle ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

[Mrs. Belle]

A Good Story About Loss and Moving On

Molly Bell And The Wishing Well is story on how a loss of a loved one, in this instance -- a mother, can affect the life of a young girl. It led her mind into thinking that any change, especially in the family dynamic, is a conspiracy to make her life even worse.

A mysterious, and seemingly magical, wishing well is the only thing that gave her a semblance of hope. Until an incident made her realize that you really have to be careful on what you wish for.

I was really taken by all the characters in this book. They all felt real and I'm sure a lot of readers will be able to relate to their situation.

I liked how the author wrote the transition of both children, and how they were allowed to develop completely. The ending, though a bit predictable, would be greatly appreciated by its target audience.

This would be an inspirational read for young people struggling with loss and the worries of having a new family.

*I was provided with a free copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.*

[LaBibliodeCaro]

When I read the summary of this children’s book on NetGalley, I was very keen on delving into it. And I wasn’t disappointed. Although the book is very short (about 100 pages), it is filled with emotions and conveys a beautiful, profound message.

Through young Molly’s perspective, the author deals with the following themes — losing a parent at a young age, struggling with grief and anger, finding it hard to accept new family members (especially a new mother and a new young sibling).

The writing style is easily accessible for a young audience. I thought it was fast-paced and well written. It is both very descriptive and dynamic. You can easily follow Molly’s stream of thought, her frustration and her pain. I thought her difficult relationship with fidgety Henry was very interesting and evolving in a credible way.

The wishing well is a relevant symbol about hope. Can Molly finally find some closure and come to terms with her pain? Will she let people find their way to her grieving heart? I was afraid that given how short the book is, it would leave me wanting for more. But, the author managed to include all the necessary ingredients. It never feels rushed and there are no overlong passages. So, sometimes, shorter is better!

Molly Bell and the Wishing Well is a touching, moving tale about loss, family love and support, as well as new beginnings.

[Madalyn]

This book was magical. Not in the Harry Potter, Gandalf, Unicorns, kind of way, but in a much more real way. It's about the magic of love, and it's power to heal. It's about how a shift in point of view can change your whole life, and it's about letting kids who are struggling with loss know that they can find a way to be happy again.

About 20 years ago I was one of those kids. My dad died when I was 1o, from cancer, like Molly's mom in the story, and though I didn't have that shift in perspective that Molly does in the story for many years, reading this book brought me back to that time.

I loved the way the author wrote about Molly's feelings towards everything going on in her life. Her anger and sadness at her Dad for 'replacing' her mom, her dislike of her new step-mom, her complete indifference to Henry, her anger and disappointment in her friends for seemingly abandoning her when she needed them, and the complete, overwhelming grief for her mom. The part about Molly's friends really hit me because it was so true. When my dad died my friends seemed to disappear, no one at school would talk to me or even look me in the eye; most adults were the same way, murmuring meaningless words before shaking their heads and walking away. People don't know how to handle that kind of overwhelming grief, and that's why I think this is an important book for everyone to read. Having a better understanding of the feelings that go on when a child has lost someone can help them immeasurably, just to know that someone stills sees them the same way, and is still there and willing to sit next to them and look them in eye and say 'I'm here' when everyone else in their life seems to be avoiding them, is an amazing thing for a kid going through that kind of loss.

The only criticism I'd have for the emotions portrayed in the book is that Molly's anger seemed really downplayed to me. In my experience the anger that comes with that kind of grief runs a lot deeper and is much harder to suppress than it seemed too for Molly. The author could have had a much different experience than I have with grief and everyone does process things differently so I can't say that her portrayal was wrong or bad in any way, though.

I also loved Molly's Grandpa Cody, in fact he was probably the most emotional character in the story besides Molly. Grandpa Cody letting go of his anger towards the wishing well was probably something that helped Molly let go of hers and including his PTSD from the war made him a very real character.

I loved this book. It's easily 5 out of 5 stars for me and I highly recommend it for everyone.

Note: I received this as a free e-book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[☘Tara Sheehan☘]

From a psychological point of view I felt Geraghty did a remarkable job trying to capture the grief process as a child would go through with it showcasing her focusing on mundane tasks and trying to behave impeccably as if her late mother was watching over her. I’ve generally seen that attitude or the full act out, trying to burn the world down path. The author kept Molly’s life, motivations, wishes and outcomes simple as if giving her space and peace to figure out how she was going to navigate this new world that no longer contained her mother in a gentle manner. Sometimes when you’ve been walking around, even subconsciously, in a mental fog it only takes one event to snap out of the reverie as she showed Molly doing so that she finally came to a place of acceptance.

I adored Geraghty’s characters, how they fit into Molly’s life and shaped her journey particularly since the author made them each seem realistic and necessary to the story. I liked how she shaped the characters into being people the reader can invest in and for kids they’ll find characters they can see themselves in.

You are treated to a descriptive tale of Molly’s emotions which make the story come alive and your heart will ache as she seemingly has to go at this alone because her friends abandon her. I would hope if children read this and they have a friend who loses someone they will remember this story and know how to be a better friend.

I think it’s a good story to help children understand they are not alone in the grief process and maybe to understand it a bit. There are a lot of positive themes regarding overcoming grief, keeping hope and accepting the changes life brings.

I can see how some might have trouble with the way the grief process was portrayed through Molly’s character but I have had the unfortunate experience to walk that journey with a few and not one of them walked the same path. I personally liked the author’s fast pace and easy writing style particularly due to its intended audience who should find this easy to read.

Overall it’s a beautiful and moving story about losing a loved one, handling grief and creating a new world.

[Julia Blackburn]

My Thoughts

I picked this book because I love the image on the cover and I find something enticing and mysterious in wishing wells, so I wanted to see what the author did with this one. She did not disappoint - this book is magical. Not in a witches and wizards sort of way a much more real way. It's about the magic of love and it's power to heal and how to find happiness again after a terrible loss. It’s a short story - about 100 pages - but an easy read with a message for life that will stay with you forever.

The Story

Molly Bell is an eleven-year old girl who used to be a whimsical, sporty type of a child with a zest for living. All that has been turned upside down by the untimely death of her mother two years ago. To make matters worse, her father is getting remarried to a high-maintenance beauty that Molly seemingly has nothing in common with, and she comes with an annoying six-year old son, Henry, who finds a way to wreck everything in his path. Molly can't find anything about her new circumstances to be excited about, until her Aunt Joan tells her about the wishing well at Molly's grandparents' farm. According to Aunt Joan, every wish she ever made there came true. And it just so happens that Molly and Henry will be staying at the farm for a week while their parents are on their honeymoon. Molly is convinced if she could just find that wishing well, she could wish for her mom to come back to life and everything will be okay again. But Molly is in for a few surprises, and more than a few hard lessons about being careful what you wish for when the consequences of Molly's selfish desires wreak havoc on her entire family. Can Molly make things right again through the wishing well? Or will she need to find it within herself to bring back the joy in her life that has been missing all this time?

[Yvonne (It's All About Books)]

Finished reading: June 1st 2017

"Thoughts are the same as wishes. They lead us to where we are going."

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***



I recently realized I had yet to pick up a Middle Grade read this year, and that's when I stumbled upon this story. I was intrigued by the cover and initially wrongly assumed it was going to be a fantasy read, but Molly Bell And The Wishing Well is actually a contemporary fiction read about (among other things) loss, grief and the moving on. It's quite a short story, but I think it manages to portray those topics quite realistically while still being understanding and appealing to the age group (roughly 8-12 years). I did have slight doubts about some of Molly's behavior and the credibility of some of her actions; not everything seemed to be all that realistic and I was surprised by how easily both Molly and Henry seemed to accept everything at their grandparents' farm. The development of Molly didn't always seem natural, but it does have a nice message of accepting changes and learning to move on after a traumatic event. I'm sure it will appeal to the age group as the writing style is very easy to read as well and simply flows. I might have had some doubts while reading Molly Bell And The Wishing Well, but it was still a very interesting read with some endearing moments.



Molly Bell hasn't been feeling like herself ever since her mother passed away two years ago, and hasn't even played her favorite sport anymore since. Now her father is getting remarried and she is not sure what to think of her new stepmother... To make things worse, this deal also included a new six-year-old stepbrother named Henry. The two don't really get along, but will have to find a way to do so as they will be spending time together on Molly's grandparents' farm while their parents go on their honeymoon. Molly learns of the wishing well on the property, and after her Aunt Joan tells her every wish she made there came true, Molly is determined to make some wishes of her own... But does she truly know what she wants to wish for?



Molly Bell And The Wishing Well is without doubt a quick read with a writing style that flows and will appear to the age group. I had some doubts about certain actions of the main characters and its credibility, but in general I really liked how this story portrayed how to deal with loss, grief and moving on after a traumatic event. The wishing well is used as part of this journey and the descriptions of the daily life on the farm will appeal to the younger readers as well.

P.S. Find more of my reviews here.

[Hemdiva Dev]

Molly is coping with the loss of her mother and also her father getting married again. Her step brother seems to be anything but good. Than her life changes. Good book to pick up for a cozy read.