Chapter 23 - Secrets Shared
Elizabeh Varadan brings her story for children of all ages to a satisfying conclusion.
To begin reading this tale all over again just click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page. Give yourself a festive treat!
Home | The Fourth Wish
December 24, 2006
December 17, 2006
Chapter 22 - The Party
Pete regains his confidence and once more becomes Mondo the Magician to put on a show at the family Christmas Eve party.
Then a large brown and white spotted rabbit comes leaping out of his hat...
Elizabeth Varadan's wonderful novel is moving towards a satsifying, and thoroughly seasonal, conclucison.
To read earlier chapters of this makes-you-happy story please click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page.
And watch out for the final chapter next Sunday, Christmas Eve.
December 10, 2006
Chapter 21 - The Fix-It Wish
Melanie and the other children decide on their final wish - and the mysterious Mrs Seraphina approves of their choice.
Elizabeth Varadon's wonderfully absorbing contemporay tale of magic for children of all ages is moving to an exciting conclusion.
December 03, 2006
Chapter 20 - Discoveries
...Raven Belle’s voice rang out in Do I Love You? with its snappy beat. Melanie hesitated. Reluctantly, she started forward. Bill glided alongside her briefly, then twirled and skated away in a figure eight to come up beside her again. All he seemed to be doing was showing off. She might as well be invisible, except as an audience. Other skaters were watching—the way she had watched him previous times. But now all the moves she had admired so much were starting to embarrass her. Didn’t he ever just skate?...
Melanie finally meets up with Bill Drexel at King Skate and finds that he is...boring.
To read earlier chapter of Elizabeth Varadan's story for children of all ages please click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page.
November 26, 2006
Chapter 19 - Do You Believe In Magic?
Melanie has a great deal to think about - magic, Mrs Seraphina, her mum's new friend Pete...and Bill Drexel.
Elizabeth Varadan's wonderful all-age story about magic and family life is richly entertaining. To read earlier chapters please lick on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page.
November 19, 2006
Chapter 18 - A Phone Call
...“Hello,” said Bill in a low voice that made Melanie think of gravel in honey. Her stomach felt suddenly full of small, fluttering wings. She covered the receiver with her hand and glared at Arthur, who was pretending not to listen...
Melanie receivies a phone call, and the rest of the household are eager to hear what is being siad.
Elizabeth Varadon's wonderful novel captures the fun, and the agonies, of being a child and a teenager. Here is a story to bring delight to readers of every age. To enjoy earlier chapters please click on Consequences in the menu on this page.
November 12, 2006
Chapter 17 - Melanie's Theory
Melanie has a theory to explain Mrs Seraphina.s supposed magical powers - but does it hold water?
Elizabeth Varadan's imaginative novel for children of all ages continues to bring rich entertainment. To read earlier chapters please click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page.
November 05, 2006
Chapter 16 - Questions
“Every problem has its own solution,” Mrs. Seraphina said softly.
“Yeah,” mumbled Melanie, “but every time we try to solve a problem, we just make it worse.”
“You have to make sure you’re working on the right problem before you can find the solution.”
Mrs Seraphina nudges Melanie towards the best use of a magical wish.
If this is your first encounter with Elizabeth Varadan's wonderful story for children of all ages, you're in for a memorable treat. All the earlier chapters of the novel are in our archives. To read them click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page - and experience the best kind of fictional magic.
October 29, 2006
Chapter 15 - Friends
The children have just one final wish to set right the chaos caused by their earlier wishes...but what should they now wish for?
In her story of magic and mysterious events Elizabeth Varadan has created the greatest of all magical wonders - a gripping story about children who are so real that you think you already knew them.
To read earlier chapters of this splendid tale please click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page.
October 22, 2006
Chapter 14 - That Letter
Melanie bursts into floods of tears when she hears the contents of the letter which her father has sent to her mother.
Elizabeth Varadan's wonderful novel contains heaps of magic, but at its heart is a perceptive and heart-warming account of how children cope with the break-up of their parents' marriage.
To read earlier chapters of this engrossing story please click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page.
October 15, 2006
Chapter 13 - An Unexpected Encounter
The children catch a brief glimpse of the mysterious Mrs Seraphina, then they receive surprising news from Pete Garrity the taxi driver...
Elizabeth Varadan's novel for children of all ages is a sympathetic blend of magic and the effects of a marriage break-up on children. Start reading the story, and you will want to go on and on... Please click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page to begin at the beginning.
October 08, 2006
Chapter 12 - Good News And Bad News
The crullers reach the ka-billion mark and stop coming...Christmas letters arrive from their absent father...the children start thinking of a wish to fix everything... But Melanie has doubts. A wish to fix everything. Right! As if there were such a thing!
The latest episode of Elizabeth Varadan's magical tale for children of all ages brings another huge helping of delight. To read earlier chapters click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page.
October 01, 2006
Chapter 11 - A Change Of Plans
“I’ll be glad when I get back to Sacramento, which should be soon. Stand by the phone.” That was the first time her father had said to stand by the phone. Melanie had been seven. It was summertime. School was out. And she had stood by that phone as long and often as she could, until her mother finally asked what was wrong with her. Then her mother had to explain that it was just a figure of speech....
There's magic going on all around, put poor Melanie's parents are divorced, and she is missing her father.
The children in Elizabeth Varadan's tale of magic and wonder presents are so "real'' they could be your next door neighbours. To read earlier chapters of the novel click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page.
September 24, 2006
Chapter 10 - Five Ka-billion Crullers
... “Ever wish you could have just one more doughnut?” he boomed. “One more cruller? Well, tonight you're in luck. Here in downtown Sacramento, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson of Daisy’s Do-nuts are giving crullers away!”...
Erin, one of the McCormick children, has used a wish to magic up five ka-billion crullers, and now, to the delight of the citizens of Sacramento, these are being offered for free.
To read Eliabeth Varadon's magical story from the beginning click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page.
September 17, 2006
Chapter 9 - Erin's Wish
… “How long have you been here?” asked Cory. Mrs. Seraphina pursed her lips and examined the top of her walking stick, as if she were actually calculating the time….
The magical Mrs Seraphina once more makes an entrance – and so too do dozens, scores, hundreds, thousands of donuts.
Elizabeth Varadon’s all-age magical story piles wonder on wonder. To read earlier chapters of the novel please click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page.
September 10, 2006
Chapter 8 - More Surprises
Melanie calls her friend Jenny and discovers that though they were both at Mondo the illusionist's show they saw vastly different things.
The mystery deepens in Elizabeth Varadan's wonderful all-ages story. For earlier chapters of this absorbing tale click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page.
September 03, 2006
Chapter 7 - Surprises
The McCormick children and their friend Arthur go to buy a Christmas tree - and once again they encounter Mondo the Magician, only this time he is driving a taxi.
Elizabeth Varadon continues her delightful magical story for children of all ages. To read earlier chapters click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page.
August 27, 2006
Chapter 6 - Daisy's Do-nuts
The mysterious Mrs Seraphina, the granter of wishes, makes another appearance. And now it is Melanie's turn to wish...but will she wish wisely.
To read earlier chapters of Elizabeth Varadan's wonderful magical tale for children of all ages click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page.
August 20, 2006
Chapter 5 - The Great Chase
Mondo the illusionist pursues the children, intent on finding out why his show was invaded by a "plague'' of rabbits. But then the mysterious Mrs Seraphina appears on the scene...
Elizabeth Varadan's magical story brings delight to children of all ages. If this is your first encounter with Mondo, Mrs Seraphina and the children, do please click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page to read earlier chapters.
August 13, 2006
Chapter 4 - More Magic
There are rabbits galore in the theatre. Rabbits racing towards the stage, rabbits jumping into a silk top hat and disappearing... Then Mr Cottler goes floating into the air, like a fish dangling on a line..
Mondo the Illusionist finds himself at the centre of real magic.
For earlier chapters of Elizabeth Varadan's magical contemporary tale click on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page.
August 06, 2006
Chapter 3 - The Great Mondo
...At last Mondo spoke into the microphone, his voice resounding throughout the theater. “Good afternoon, everyone.” He paused. “Ready to have some fun?” Shouts of “Yes!” echoed from every corner. Mondo held his hands to his ears in pretended surprise. “You are? Well, then....” He stretched his arms out to each side. “Let the magic begin!” A new drum roll was followed by a clash of cymbals...
Eleven-year-old Melanie McCormick, her brother, Cory, and their little sister, Erin. are at the Majestic Theatre to see a magic show. Things are not going exactly as they should. Could the wish granted to Cory by Mrs Seraphina have something to do with this?
For the opening chapters of Elizabeth Varadon's magical all-age novel click-on The Fourth Wish in the menu on this page.
July 30, 2006
Chapter 2 - Mrs Seraphina
Eleven-year-old Melanie McCormick has to baby-sit her brother, Cory, and their little sister, Erin. She persuades them to go to a magic show at the Majestic Theater so she can see her film idol’s new movie. Arthur Hensley, their pesky neighbor, joins them, and the day is set for disaster.
On the way they meet Mrs Seraphina, who, puzzlingly, knows all their names.
Has Mrs Seraphina the power to grant wishes?
Here is Chapter 2 of Elizabeth Varadan's splendid story The Fourth Wish. On reaching the final sentence of this episode you will be longing to read Chapter 3, which will be posted in Open Writing next Sunday.
July 23, 2006
Chapter 1 - Cory's Good Deed
Eleven-year-old Melanie McCormick has to baby-sit her brother, Cory, and their little sister, Erin. She persuades them to go to a magic show at the Majestic Theater so she can see her film idol’s new movie. Arthur Hensley, their pesky neighbor, joins them, and the day is set for disaster.
On the way to the theater, they encounter Mrs. Seraphina, who claims she can grant wishes...
Today we bring you the first chapter of Elizabeth Varadan's novel, The Fourth Wish. Melanie, her brother Cory, and their friends are Californian pre-teens who, because of a good deed, are about to be plunged into a magical adventure.
Elizabeth's gripping and convincing narrative will delight children of all ages. Look out on succeeding Sundays for further chapters of this super tale.
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