Monday, December 9, 2019

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday #MMGM Book Review: Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

Years ago, when Red was still a very young tree, a girl tied a wish to her branches. The girl said this was the tradition where she came from. Since then the wishtree has seen many families come and go over her long life. Red knows she’s not supposed to interact with the people who come to sit and wish by her. The animals that live in and around the tree have a close relationship and watch out for one another. When a new family moves into a nearby house and someone carves the word “leave” into the wishtree, Red becomes concerned. Who would do such a thing? Why? What does it mean? It’s soon apparent that a little girl is looking for a friend, and the wishtree wants nothing more than that for the girl, especially considering there seems to be people who want the girl and her family to leave the neighborhood. After Red hears that she may be cut down because of the vandalism and the trouble her roots are causing, she thinks she may have no other choice. What will Red do? Will she intervene? What will happen if she breaks the rule? And is it even possible for a wishtree to help a little girl make a friend? You’ll have to read this book to find out.

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate drew me in because the cover looks so magical. I have read other books by this author and enjoyed them. Reading a book from a tree’s point of view was definitely interesting, and it really made me think. I always feel like I can talk to trees, so I’m not surprised that they can hear us and listen to our wishes. I liked the lessons in the story as there were many- some about friendship, some about how we treat our planet, and others about understanding people from different cultures and places. This is a fast book and one that won’t take more than a few hours to read. I recommended this book to kids and adults ages eight and up who enjoy a good story about friendship. 


Has anyone else read Wishtree? Or another book by Katherine Applegate? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Happy reading!
~L

For other MMGM posts, please visit Greg Pattridge's blog.

42 comments:

  1. This sounds wonderful, it's going on my wishlist right now. Have a great week, hugs, Valerie

    ReplyDelete
  2. This book sounds like an interesting read. I have not yet read a book by this author, but your post inspired me to add her name to my TBR list. Thanks for sharing this book with us for MMGM!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. June- You definitely have to read a book by Applegate. You will love her writing! :) ~L

      Delete
  3. It sounds most excellent.
    The Ents were my favourite character from Lord of the Rings, and I still mourn the Entwives.
    Of course trees can hear us... And how I wish they would share their wisdom.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. EC- I wish they'd share their wisdom too. Maybe in Wishtree Red will share her wisdom. :) ~L

      Delete
  4. Now that is an interesting take on the writing of it through a tree's view. It must have been challenging to "think" like a tree :) Sounds like a great story though!

    betty

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Betty= It is a really great story and so interesting to read from a tree's point of view. :) ~L

      Delete
  5. I think I read this with my daughter once. It sounds like a great story to read with a kid.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Natalie- I think it's a wonderful book to share with someone else. Lots of great things to discuss! :) ~L

      Delete
  6. The cover does draw one in. A story from a tree's perspective sounds interesting indeed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pat- Isn't the cover just beautiful! :) ~L

      Delete
  7. Trees are a popular and fascinating part of many MG stories. This one shines on many levels. I've only read THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by this author and have added WISHTREE to my future read list. Thanks for featuring on MMGM.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Greg- I loved The One and Only Ivan! I hope you enjoy Wishtree when you get to it. :) ~L

      Delete
  8. Another book I loved reading! So many great themes in this one that kids will love and understand! Have given it as a gift in the past!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Patricia-
      What a special gift to give! I agree with you that it has so many wonderful themes. A great book to discuss and think about. :) ~L

      Delete
  9. I'm actually reading this book right now (I’ve enjoyed Applegate's other books The One and Only Ivan and Crenshaw), and I love it so far! Your thoughts are spot-on, and I agree that the cover is beautiful as well! Thanks for spreading the word about this great book!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Completely Full Bookshelf- I went and read your review! So glad you loved it too. I love Applegate's writing. :) ~L

      Delete
  10. I tried reading Wishtree a while ago, but couldn't get into it. You make it sound so good, I definitely give it another try. Thanks for your review.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Randomly Reading. The audiobook is really good too. Maybe you would enjoy it more in that format. :) ~L

      Delete
  11. Reading a book from a tree’s point of view definitely sounds interesting … may have to give this book a try!

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow. A point of view character that's a tree. That's a new one. It sounds like a sweet book. Thanks for your review. I will put this one on my list.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Awesome review. I like the sound of this book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Romance Reader- It is a fast read! I really enjoyed it. :) ~L

      Delete
  14. I haven't read it but it sounds great.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I like the idea of the story being told from the viewpoint of a tree. That's interesting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Beverly- I really liked the POV too! :) ~L

      Delete
  16. Replies
    1. Gloria- I am so glad it sounds good to you! :) ~L

      Delete
  17. Oh - this sounds great - I don't think I've ever had this one in my class! Sounds great!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jemi- I bet your students would enjoy it! :) ~L

      Delete
  18. Most definitely one for my Wish List, this sounds treemendous.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for stopping by and commenting. We love to hear your thoughts! We had to turn on comment moderation due to a high volume of spam. Fairday's Blog is no longer accepting awards. We appreciate all the nominations that we have received and are honored to have been mentioned! Happy Reading!

Twitter Bird Gadget Twitter Bird Gadget