Wishtree

by Katherine Applegate

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

As we now expect from Katherine Applegate, this is a resounding narrative rich with human emotions, told strictly from non-human perspectives. It’s the story of a tree and the community it cultivates, and it is a gorgeous story that will fill young readers with warmth.

An oak tree and a crow help their neighbors embrace their differences in this beautiful, nuanced, New York Times-bestselling middle-grade novel from Newbery Medalist author Katherine Applegate.

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 a crow named 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 experience as a wishtree is more important than ever.

Funny, deep, warm, and nuanced, this is Katherine Applegate at her very best—writing from the heart, and from a completely unexpected point of view.

This book has Common Core connections.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250233899
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	03/28/2023
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	9,474
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.60(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Katherine Applegate is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of beloved and award-winning books for young readers, including Odder, Home of the Brave, Crenshaw, wishtree, Willodeen, and The One and Only Ivan, for which she won the Newbery Medal. She is also the author of the Animorphs series, and a beginning reader series, Doggo and Pupper, illustrated by Charlie Alder. Katherine Applegate lives in Southern California with her family. Katherineapplegate.com

Editorial Reviews

Leave it to a children's books writer to produce the most moving commentary I've read on the anti-immigration movement—without mentioning bans or walls or presidents. What's more, this is a tale told by…a tree. Never mind the kids. Katherine Applegate's Wishtree is a beautifully written, morally bracing story that will leave its imprint on a reader of any age…Applegate has a quirky imagination and a deft touch…Even if you are old enough to be a grandmother, you can almost believe Red's story is real. Middle-grade readers will no doubt be charmed by the way creatures talk, and they might be challenged to puzzle out some things, like who speaks Yoruba. They'll learn just enough science (to say nothing of current events) to be satisfied that this story is grounded in a familiar world. The book's message—and the grace Applegate locates in children's hearts—will not escape anyone.

The New York Times Book Review - Dominique Browning

★ 07/10/2017
The simplicity of Newbery Medalist Applegate’s graceful novel contrasts powerfully with the prejudice it confronts. Narration comes from Red, an enormous red oak near an elementary school that also serves as a “wishtree” for the neighborhood—once a year, residents deposit wishes in Red’s branches and hollows. Though trees aren’t supposed to talk to humans, Red cares for them deeply, especially when a lonely girl named Samar and her Muslim family move into the neighborhood and receive a chilly, then hostile, reception: a boy carves “Leave” into Red’s trunk, and the family endures taunts and other abuses. “I love people dearly,” Red muses. “And yet. Two hundred and sixteen rings, and I still haven’t figured them out.” Applegate creates strong parallel between these threats and those that Red faces, as neighborhood matriarch Francesca contemplates cutting the tree down. As tension escalates in both the natural and human realms, Red’s openhearted voice and generosity of spirit bring perspective gained over centuries of observation. It’s a distinctive call for kindness, delivered by an unforgettable narrator. Art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties. Illustrator’s agent: Justin Rucker, Shannon Associates. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for wishtree:

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
A New York Times Notable Book, 2017
A National Public Radio Best Book of 2017
A Publishers Weekly Bestseller
A Washington Post Best Book of 2017
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2017
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2017
San Francisco Chronicle 2017 Gift Guide
Los Angeles Times 2017 Gift Guide
Autumn 2017 Kids’ Indie Next List "Top Pick" Title
Winner, E.B. White Read Aloud Award
2018 ALSC/ALA Notable Children's Book

"Wishtree is beautiful in every way one can imagine. Everyone should read this book." —R.J. Palacio, bestselling author of Wonder, White Bird, and Pony

"A beautifully written, morally bracing story that will leave its imprint on a reader of any age." The New York Times Book Review

"The simplicity of Newbery Medalist Applegate’s graceful novel contrasts powerfully with the prejudice it confronts. Narration comes from Red, an enormous red oak near an elementary school that also serves as a “wishtree” for the neighborhood—once a year, residents deposit wishes in Red’s branches and hollows...It’s a distinctive call for kindness, delivered by an unforgettable narrator."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Applegate introduces another quiet, resilient protagonist who — like the caged gorilla in The One and Only Ivan and the working-class boy in Crenshaw — speaks movingly to a noisy, fractious world. — The Washington Post

"The story’s wit and humor keep it from being heavy-handed, as do vivid portrayals of minor characters, especially Bongo, the sarcastic crow who is Red’s best friend. This is a book made for family sharing and discussion."--Raleigh News & Observer

"A book to read that sends the right message."—Parents magazine

"Timely, necessary, and brimming with heart."— Booklist, starred review

"Newbery Award–winning author Applegate meets high expectations in this tale told by a tree named Red, a red oak who is “two hundred and sixteen rings old.” ... Another stunning effort from Applegate. This thoughtful read is a top choice for middle graders."—School Library Journal, starred review

"This swiftly moving yet contemplative read is great for early middle grade, reluctant or tentative readers, or precocious younger students. A deceptively simple, tender tale in which respect, resilience, and hope triumph."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"This gentle yet powerful book is suitable for all ages...and its message remains more vital than ever."—BookPage

"Inspires hope for positive change. Perfect for a powerful classroom read, Wishtree is another winner for Applegate."—Voices of Youth Advocates, starred review
________
Praise for Crenshaw:

A New York Times Bestseller
A Publishers Weekly Bestseller

"This accessible and moving novel demonstrates how the creative resilience of a child’s mind can soften difficult situations, while exploring the intersection of imagination and truth." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A compelling and unflinchingly honest treatment of a difficult topic." —School Library Journal, starred review

"The tone is warm and, occasionally, quirkily funny, but it doesn’t sugarcoat the effects of hunger and vulnerability." —The Horn Book, starred review

From the Publisher

★ 06/01/2017
Gr 4–8—Newbery Award—winning author Applegate meets high expectations in this tale told by a tree named Red, a red oak who is "two hundred and sixteen rings old." Touching on religious bigotry and the environment, Applegate keeps the emphasis on her characters, the many animals and birds who find shelter in the tree's branches all year round. (All the birds and animals have names and the power to talk, just like Red.) Around the first of May, people write down their wishes on pieces of cloth and hang them from the tree's branches, giving Red a special place in the community. The pacing starts out slowly, with early chapters focused almost entirely on the natural world, but eventually readers meet the human at the novel's center. Samar, a recent Muslim refugee, is lonely and in need of a friend. A nameless boy uses the tree to convey hateful messages to Samar and her family. The owner of the tree is tired of roots in the plumbing and hopes all the nastiness will disappear if the tree is cut down, having forgotten the story of her ancestors and the beginning of all the wishes. Red decides to intervene and ask for help from the animals and birds. Even those who shy away from books with talking animals will find this believable fantasy elegant and poignant. Widening the appeal is a sparse word count, making this a great choice for a family or classroom read-aloud and an inviting option for reluctant readers. VERDICT Another stunning effort from Applegate. This thoughtful read is a top choice for middle graders.—Carol A. Edwards, formerly at Denver Public Library

School Library Journal

It’s easy to suspend disbelief with Nancy Linari’s animated reading of this story. She quickly engages listeners with the authoritative viewpoint of Red, an oak tree who knows the habits of the many animals she shelters. Linari is equally successful in voicing the tenderness Red has for the humans who hang wishes from her branches. Linari marks Red’s concern when Muslims move into the neighborhood and someone carves “Leave” into her bark. She responds to human actions with acerbic puzzlement: “Two hundred and sixteen rings, and I still haven't figured them out." Conveying the author’s wit and humor, Linari keeps the story from being heavy-handed. Especially memorable are her vivid portrayals of minor characters, especially Bongo, a sarcastic crow who is Red’s best friend. This is a fabulous family listen! S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2017 - AudioFile

It’s easy to suspend disbelief with Nancy Linari’s animated reading of this story. She quickly engages listeners with the authoritative viewpoint of Red, an oak tree who knows the habits of the many animals she shelters. Linari is equally successful in voicing the tenderness Red has for the humans who hang wishes from her branches. Linari marks Red’s concern when Muslims move into the neighborhood and someone carves “Leave” into her bark. She responds to human actions with acerbic puzzlement: “Two hundred and sixteen rings, and I still haven't figured them out." Conveying the author’s wit and humor, Linari keeps the story from being heavy-handed. Especially memorable are her vivid portrayals of minor characters, especially Bongo, a sarcastic crow who is Red’s best friend. This is a fabulous family listen! S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2017 - AudioFile

★ 2017-08-02
Generations of human and animal families grow and change, seen from the point of view of the red oak Wishing Tree that shelters them all. Most trees are introverts at heart. So says Red, who is over 200 years old and should know. Not to mention that they have complicated relationships with humans. But this tree also has perspective on its animal friends and people who live within its purview—not just witnessing, but ultimately telling the tales of young people coming to this country alone or with family. An Irish woman named Maeve is the first, and a young 10-year-old Muslim girl named Samar is the most recent. Red becomes the repository for generations of wishes; this includes both observing Samar's longing wish and sporting the hurtful word that another young person carves into their bark as a protest to Samar's family's presence. (Red is monoecious, they explain, with both male and female flowers.) Newbery medalist Applegate succeeds at interweaving an immigrant story with an animated natural world and having it all make sense. As Red observes, animals compete for resources just as humans do, and nature is not always pretty or fair or kind. This swiftly moving yet contemplative read is great for early middle grade, reluctant or tentative readers, or precocious younger students. A deceptively simple, tender tale in which respect, resilience, and hope triumph. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews