The Orphan's Wish

Gr 9 Up—Friendship blossoms into love for protagonists Aladdin and Kirstyn in Dickerson's take on the known fairy tale, set in the Holy Roman Empire. Former orphan Aladdin desires to make his fortune so he can one day prove himself to Duke Wilhelm of Hagenheim and ask for Kirstyn's hand in marriage. This requires that he leave Hagenheim and Kirstyn behind. Kirstyn and her mother regularly visited the orphanage where Aladdin had become her very best friend and protector on their many explorations into the forest. In his absence, Kirstyn is kidnapped, and when word reaches Aladdin, he must decide where his loyalties lie. Will she accept his imperfections? Will he meet Duke Wilhelm's expectations? If Kirstyn is found alive and rejects him, he risks losing all that he has labored to achieve. Questions regarding self-doubt, self-worth, and imperfection pervade this tale laced with evil, greed, jealousy, overindulgence, and violence. Christian fiction fans will relish Dickerson's eloquent story.