In the delightful and droll middle-grade fantasy As You Wish by Nashae Jones (Courtesy of Cupid), a 13-year-old Ghanian American must face the unforeseen consequences of three wishes granted to her by a trickster god.
Birdie attended her first day of kindergarten wearing "latex gloves that stretched up to [her] elbows." Since then, her mother's anxiety has remained consistent, making it hard for Birdie "to just live like a normal kid." Luckily, Birdie has next-door neighbor and "bestie for the restie," Deve. Both are starting eighth grade and Birdie is determined to "make her mark." So, she needs a boyfriend--and, since she and Deve do everything together, he needs a girlfriend. But this suggestion makes Deve upset. Nancy, the new girl at school, reveals to Birdie that she is "Anansi, god of stories and knowledge" and can give the teen three wishes. Birdie is skeptical but hopes wishes can fix her relationship with Deve. However, every wish makes Birdie's situation increasingly worse. How can Birdie maneuver through the tangled web she's woven?
As You Wish is a sweet fantasy that faultlessly portrays the difficulties and delights of tweenhood. Jones approachably discusses mental illness, with Birdie explaining, "my mom was different, and it wasn't her fault, but that didn't make dealing with the fallout from her anxiety any easier." The author also gracefully ties West African culture and mythology into her contemporary novel with stories of Anansi tricking people throughout the years at the start of each chapter. As Birdie deals with the outcome of each wish, she begins to understand that one's life may already be great as it is. --Natasha Harris, freelance reviewer