As You Wish by Nashae Jones (Aladdin, 272 pages, grades 5-8). Birdie and Deve have been best friends since the first day of kindergarten, but when Birdie tells Deve of her plans to be more “normal” in eighth grade by getting a boyfriend, Deve reacts coldly and before long they’re in a fight. A mysterious new girl named Nancy turns out to be the mythological spider Anansi, who grants Birdie three wishes. Each wish plunges Birdie into a new reality where she gets to see what life would be like as a popular girl, free of her overprotective mother, and worst of all, if she and Deve had never met. By the time she realizes her mistakes, she’s out of wishes, but Anansi has one more surprise in store for her.
This romance is perfect for those just getting into the genre, providing a fun introduction to the Ghanaian Anansi. The romance element is pretty clear from the start, with the plot twists coming from revelations about other characters as well as Birdie’s discoveries about herself as she fumbles her way through alternative realities.
To Catch a Ghost by Rachel Michelle Wilson (Orchard Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8, publication date July 1, 2025). “Bringing nothing to show-and-tell is like wearing shoes without socks. It stinks.” To avoid this situation, the narrator decides to catch a ghost to share with the class. Part one is the search, followed by part two: observe, in which he tries to determine what kind of ghost he’s found. Likes hide-and-seek? Mischievous. Enjoys gardening? An old soul. And almost any kind will appreciate pizza. The third and final part involves catching a ghost, but after building a cage, the narrator can’t stand the sad look on the ghost’s face and lets it go. The friendly ghost leaves behind a picture of the two of them eating pizza, though, and that is good enough for show-and-tell. Thanks to Orchard Books for an advanced copy of this book, which will be available July 1.
Fans of Wilson’s How to Pee Your Pants will enjoy this follow-up about finding a ghost. It would make a great mentor text for procedural writing, a good Halloween read-aloud that includes those who don’t celebrate the holiday, and a nice story for starting a conversation about friendship.