2008-06-05 "Verdigris n. a blue-green rust .....

...that tarnishes ageing and forgotten copper coins, altering them entirely...."

Throwing coins in a wishing well
And making a wish
It seems so simple
But have you ever spared a thought
For the coins?

Lying for eternity under the water
Among the slime and leaves
Forgotten by all but the verdigris
And of course the Well Witch
`Cos she's real

Three children find out the hard way
Short on bus fare
They dare to disturb the rusty rest
Of the coins, and naturally
The Well Witch

A price must be paid for their crime
He who takes the coin
Must grant the wish
Like verdigris, they become
Altered entirely

But, the tricky thing about wishes
Is that you can't just
Take them at face value
Because people don't always wish for what
They REALLY want

This book works at many levels
The characters
So cleverly developed
The plot so fiendishly crafted
I have goosebumps

Before introducing your child
To Stephen King
Lead them to
The murky waters and rotting wishes
Of the well


(Recommended for kids from 12 yrs to 99 yrs)

See also: Fly by Night by the same author


Amanda Richards