You Wish

Gr 4-6–Ten-year-old Avery lives with her dad in a small trailer next to the gas station he works at in the middle of the desert. In the opening panels, Avery is wearing a magician’s costume and working on magic tricks to bring some charm to a not-so-charming place. Her life becomes a lot more enchanting when she finds a genie lamp hiding in the shed. To her surprise, a small, red, catlike creature named Gribblet appears, announcing himself as a genie’s herald. Rather than getting three wishes, Gribblet shares that Avery’s mother, who passed when she was born, was actually a genie. Her mother fell in love with a human, and after Avery was born, was banished for breaking the rules. Avery sets off on a quest with Gribblet to the genie realm—where she’s not very welcome—to search for her mother. The genie world is dark and fiery, filled with caverns, mountains, a giant acidic lake, and genies who don’t like humans. This first installment of a planned series has a unique story line with a relatable protagonist looking for both adventure and family.