Genuine Sweet

February 1, 2015
A coming-of-age story starring 12-year-old Genuine (pronounced Gen-u-wine) Sweet, fourth-generation wish-fetcher from the very small town of Sass, Georgia. Since her alcoholic father lost his job, Genuine has begun to worry a lot about how the family will stay warm and fed through the winter. She breathes a big sigh of relief when she discovers that she can grant wishes by whistling down starlight and baking it up into wish biscuits-until she learns that the only wishes she can't grant are her own. No matter. Genuine and her new, creative friend, Jura, create a barter system to help Gen's family and then begin taking online wish requests from groups battling hunger around the world. All is well until requests for wish biscuits explode, some old family drama comes home to roost, romantic complications ensue, and then, the final straw, Genuine loses her beloved grandmother. Devastated, Gen breaks the cardinal rule of wish-fetching and loses her power just when she needs it most, but she deals with this problem too in her own style. Through it all, Genuine learns about forgiveness, responsibility and empowering others while remaining true to the humble, spunky girl at her core. A folksy first-person narration combined with a thought-provoking storyline makes this a good pick for solo enjoyment or book club discussion. (Fantasy. 9-12)

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January 1, 2015

Gr 4-6-Genuine Sweet is a fourth generation wish fetcher. Using starlight that she whistles down from the night sky, she bakes magical biscuits that allow her to grant wishes. The magic has rules however-it can only be used for other people and only for good-hearted wishes. Genuine's life is not easy, her father is unemployed due to drinking on the job, and the whole family subsists on Gram's meager social security benefits. Despite her own needs, Genuine throws herself into helping others. But it's not long before the news is out, and suddenly the wish requests escalate beyond her ability to keep up, even with two loyal friends helping. Then, while Genuine is out helping others, her beloved grandma dies. This is nearly the undoing of the girl and her rant at the stars afterward is moving. The story builds predictably, but the characters and events are well written and intriguing. Genuine's frustration over the dilemma of being able to help everyone but her own family is well crafted. Her voice, though perhaps a bit too perceptive for a 12 year old, is otherwise authentic and unique, creating a character that readers will identify with and care about. Hand this to fans of Natalie Lloyd's A Snicker of Magic (Scholastic, 2014).-Gretchen Crowley, Alexandria City Public Libraries, VA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2015
Grades 4-7 Set in small-town Georgia, this debut mixes backwoods magic with folksy charm to deliver a potent message about community spirit. It takes a brave author to name her protagonist Genuine Sweet, deprive her of her mother, and saddle her with a drunken father and a grandmother with supernatural powers, but Harkey is as resourceful as Genuine Sweet herself. Twelve-year-old Genuine amiably introduces herself to readers, explains how she discovered her own magical abilities, and explores the many complications that arise from their use. Genuine comes from a long line of wish fetchers, and she must figure out how to use this power to solve a variety of problems. She begins by addressing her state of hunger and household's disrepair by creating a wish-fulfillment barter system with a few friendly neighbors (wish fetchers can't grant their own wishes). Next, with her new friend Jura, she tackles world hunger. Harkey has created a lively cast of appealing characters, but Genuine's sweet and generous heart is the star of the story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
Twelve-year-old Genuine Sweet is a wish fetcher. The one hitch: she can't grant her own wishes. Despite her own poverty, Genuine sets up shop granting wishes--one "wish biscuit" at a time--while implementing a town barter system. The responsibility to solve bigger issues such as world hunger weighs heavily on this sympathetic and straight-talking narrator without weighing down readers' enjoyment.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)