Wishing Upon the Stars

This tender story is set in the the summer at a chalet in the Quebec Laurentians. MC a young girl is vacationing with her father after her grandfather’s passing (her father’s father). On a hot summer night, MC is trying to fall asleep, however her grief and worry over the recent death is preventing her mind to rest. She tosses and turns until she fall out of bed and is recused by her father. They then head down to the dock on the lake to watch the night stars and chat about death, grief and dreams. MC’s fears recede and her playful mood returns until her over exuberance cause her to encounter another mini emergency from which her father rescues her.

The cover for the children's story "Wishing Upon the Stars"

The front cover of Wishing Upon the Stars

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Inspiration for the Story

… came from the many nights vacationing at MC’s parents chalet where she and her father would chat by the fire or at the dock about life, family and dreams. Although MC’s parents built the chalet during her late teens, MC wrote this story imaging what it would be like if she spent her childhood years at the cottage.

Illustrations done by Frank Urbanski for the story Wishing Upon the Stars.

An illustration from Wishing Upon the Stars

A photo of Frank Urbanski and MC sitting in chairs and posing together outside on a sunny day.

MC & Frank Urbanksi

About the Illustrator

Frank Urbanski, (1931- 2011) was MC’s father. Work and family life consumed the years until at sixty-five he retired from a very successful business career, of which most was spent in top executive positions. It was then he began sketching, painting and carving on his own and taking a number of art classes. He said he struggled with creating originals, but considered himself a copycat. He particularly loved creating his own interpretations of the works from the Canadian greats, The Group of Seven and Emily Carr. The following collage is a collection of some of MC’s favorite pieces produced by her father.