[1] The protagonist (Karolcia) is an eight-year-old girl who finds a magical blue bead that fulfills her every wish.

They have various adventures, including helping the President escape from an evil witch, Filomena, who also tries unsuccessfully to steal the bead.

Although Karolcia is unhappy about this, she and Peter decide not to be selfish with their final wish but to wish that the dreams of others be fulfilled –children receive new toys, and the recovery of children who are in hospital, amongst other things.

The book ends with Karolcia being happy about their good deed but also sad over the loss of the bead that has now disappeared.

In the British IBBY newsletter IBBYLink, Maria Ostasz, while discussing Polish children's novels during the 1960s, wrote "Very popular among young female readers at the time were Maria Krüger’s Karolcia [Caroline] (1959), ..." and noted "The protagonists of these novels do not live through any great conflicts but experience the joy of being together among their peers, family and friends.