Barker's Wish

Barker is teased for being different. But then he makes a wish—you'll never guess what it is, but it ultimately reveals the power of friendship, acceptance, and individuality.

Barker's Wish is the touching tale of a dog who feels alienated because he is different, so he makes a wish—the kind of wish we all make when we’re young. This book is appropriate for young children, but its lesson is applicable to all readers, including parents—we're all still trying to find our inner voices, right? Barker’s Wish is elegant in its simplicity, with clear, powerful language, surprising plot twists, and universal themes that will inspire all who read it.

In 2023, Barker's Wish was named as a Finalist in the Annual National Indie Excellence Awards.

Dan Stern loved picture books as a kid. Then he grew up and made two little kids of his own who also loved picture books. Dan has spent many nights tucking in his children, reading them classics, and telling them wild tales. Many of those tales were simply versions of famous movies that he pawned off as his own (while his wife poured so much effort into making up imaginative stories from scratch). But some of Dan’s tales were original creations, too. Barker's Wish is one such late-night story—it resonated so deeply with his kids that they convinced him to turn it into a book. Through his company, Metro Academic Prep, Dan has spent more than 25 years privately educating thousands of students from grade school through grad school. He has always believed that every great education begins with the simple but profound lessons children learn when their parents curl up with them at night and read them picture books.