Wishtree
by Katherine Applegate
Published: September 26, 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade
Format: Hardcover (224 pages)
Source: Library
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.
It must have been fate to find Wishtree at the library right before our road trip to the Redwoods. We listened to the audiobook and followed along in the book as we drove among the huge trees.
I had no idea that Wishtree was told from the perspective of a tree. Listening to Red, the tree, tell her story made the forest around us come alive. I felt like the forest itself was talking to us as we drove under some of the biggest trees in the world. And it was nothing short of magic to hear a tree tell us fascinating biology facts that I had never heard before as we watched the beautiful forest go by out the window. I had no idea that only one percent of a tree is ever alive at any one time (pg 35).
And wow was the writing beautiful.
Trees can’t tell jokes. But we can certainly tell stories. And if all you hear is the whisper of leave, don’t worry. Most tress are introverts at heart.
-Katherine Applegate, Wishtree pg 3
Red is optimistic and endearing and not quite what you would expect a very old tree to be. She had wonderful advice about the virtues of the hollows in her trunk.
Proof that something bad can become something good with enough time and care and hope.
-Katherine Applegate, Wishtree pg 24
As much as I adored this book, my kids loved it, too. It’s funny and charming. My favorite part was probably all the creative animals names especially the raccoon babies being named You, You and You.
A delightful book that I highly recommend. And if you really want to experience it’s magic, read it outside under a tree.
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About Katherine Applegate
Applegate was born in Michigan in 1956. Since then she has lived in Texas, Florida, California, Minnesota, Illinois, North Carolina, and after living in Pelago, Italy for a year, she has moved back to Southern California. She has an eleven year old son named Jake Mates, although she says the Animorph leader is not named after him. In 2003 she and her husband, Michael Grant, her co-author on many projects including Animorphs, adopted their daughter, Julia, in China.[citation needed] Following the end of Animorphs, Applegate took three years off. She is back at work and has written a picture book called "The Buffalo Storm," a middle reader novel called "Home of the Brave," and an early chapters series "Roscoe Riley Rules" with Harper Collins. Her book "Home of the Brave" has won the SCBWI Golden Kite Award, the Bank Street 2008 Josette Frank Award, and is a Judy Lopez Memorial Award honor book.
My name is Jessica. I love to read Young Adult and classic literature. I’ve been a book blogger for six years and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. I’m a very curious reader. Writing about all the questions and thoughts I had while reading a book is the best hobby ever.
I love Katherine Applegate’s books. I haven’t read this one yet, but I didn’t know it was told from the perspective of the tree. That is awesome!