MIDDLE GRADE REVIEW: wishtree by Katherine Applegate
ABOUT THE BOOK
Trees can't tell jokes, but they can certainly tell stories. . . .
Red is an oak tree who is many rings old. Red is the neighborhood "wishtree"—people write their wishes on pieces of cloth and tie them to Red's branches. Along with her crow friend Bongo and other animals who seek refuge in Red's hollows, this "wishtree" watches over the neighborhood.
You might say Red has seen it all. Until a new family moves in. Not everyone is welcoming, and Red's experiences as a wishtree are more important than ever.
REVIEW
I absolutely adored this book by Katherine Applegate. After loving The One and Only Ivan, I've been an eager fan of hers. And this book doesn't disappoint in the slightest. It's a fairly short book at 211 pages, but the story is a tender, thoughtful one. Interestingly the story is told from the perspective of a 200-year-old tree that is facing removal. And yet, Red's greatest concern is Samar, the young Muslim girl who lives in one of the two houses near Red. Samar and her family are facing poor treatment, and Samar desperately wants a friend. As the local wishtree, Red is well aware of this wish, having had hundreds of wishes written on paper and fabric and attached to her branches over the years. But this is the first wish that she has ever tried to help come true. With her animal friends, Red sets out to change Samar's life before her own life ends. I enjoyed Red's 'wise old tree voice' as well as the contrasting voice of Red's crow friend, Bongo. And the relationships between Red and the animals that live in her offer a parable to the ways that people do and do not get along. All in all a wonderful tale that simply and beautifully illustrates the power of kindness and compassion.
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