The Wishing Machine by Jonathan Hillman - 10/10

A charming tale about hope in the face of looming change and the experience of poverty.

Sam's visit to the laundromat with her mother is tinged with sadness because this will be their last trip before they have to move, but her mother suggests she think of dropping the coins into the machines as being like a wishing well - and Sam spends the trip asking each of the people there what they would wish for.

This is such a whimsical way to explore a relevant and difficult topic, and it's really well-executed, heartfelt, and informative (especially if you pay attention to the details and the subtext they provide). I thought that the ending was especially masterful - as you can probably imagine, the coin-operated machines do not magically give Sam and her mother enough money to stay in their apartment, but (without giving it away completely) Hillman manages to emphasize the hope of recognizing what endures through all circumstantial changes.