Comments (40)

What did you think about this title?
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Jan 25, 2023kwallsrn rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
If I could give this book 2 million stars, I would. This is my favorite Katherine Applegate book, so far. It is a beautiful book about friendship and changing racist thoughts. I recommend it for Kindergarten and up. Jonathan (age 10)
Jul 21, 2022Crave83 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate 215 pages story ends on 211 Genre: Childrens > Middle Grade, Juvenile; Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult, Animals, Magical Realism, Environment > Nature Featuring: Rag Tree, Children, Animals, Neighbors,…
Jun 01, 2022HPL_Teen_Volunteer1 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A charming novel by stunning author Katherine Applegate, the Wish Tree blends prose, a wonderfully wise narration, and just a bit of magic, to send a beautiful message of perseverance and acceptance. Red is an oak tree, 216 rings old.…
Jan 04, 2022lovepeaceandstories rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
For some reason I feel like this book speaks more than meets the eye because it just has so much symbolism and so much meaning in it. The tree is personified to be almost human, talking and having human qualities. This just makes the book…
Aug 19, 2021blue_wolf_5225 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
What if you were a tree? Red is a friendly oak tree that lives in a normal neighborhood. He's the Wishtree, a tree said to grant any wish placed upon his branches. He's lived there for a very long time and has seen many families move into…
Aug 03, 2021ccmccolligan rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I found myself crying and laughing and wishing. What a beautiful book and a beautiful heart behind it. It’s not often a book touches you deep in your heart, this one does.
Jun 28, 2021
Red, an ancient Oak tree who narrates this story, reminds the reader of the healing power of nature, and that "It is a great gift indeed to love who you are."
Mar 15, 2021
Wow! This is an amazing book that I felt so inspired by! I loved how the author used personification on a tree, I just found this so creative! The author talks about so many important matters, and this felt so realistic to me. I would…
Sep 17, 2020JCLAnneG rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
A low fantasy about an anthropomorphic tree (which is the first I've seen since The Giving Tree I believe) telling a moving and thoughtful story of friendship and the immigration experience. I love Applegate's easy-to-connect-to writing,…
May 20, 2020
This is a very cute and pure novel that delivers deep, intense themes. There are many layers to this novel, and the layers build as the story goes on. Red’s outsider perspective points out bad behavior in humans, and still guides the…
Apr 23, 2020
I've shared this book with so many people. This is the first book I've ever read told from the perspective of a tree and what they see. It makes you wonder at the true life of nature and how we really are all connected.
Apr 05, 2020ArapahoeAnnaL rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Narrated by a wise old oak tree (Red) this terrific story for grades 3-5 was the first book in the Koelbel Junior Chapter Book book group. We agreed it was gentle, complex, realistic fiction with several profound themes. This book would…
Nov 10, 2019
Grades 3-7
Aug 23, 2019crsmith2009 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
wishtree was my very first mark twain and now I am reading tons of them.
Jun 04, 2019SPPL_TKBTeenChoice rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
From TKB Teen Vivian: I loved the writing in this book. It's just this very calming writing and I love the way it's narrated. I enjoyed just about every part of this book.
May 23, 2019muffinpopcorn rated this title 0.5 out of 5 stars
Don't know what all the hype was about -- worst book I have ever read .
Apr 04, 2019mauve_bird_127 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is a LWSD battle of the books book!
Apr 03, 2019susan_findlay rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
Context: I read this book out loud to my 3 and 5 year old children. This was required by the 5 year old's school who were participating in an activity where every child (kindergarten to grade 12) in the school district had to read the…
Apr 01, 2019DT_kcls rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I always read books before I give them to my grandchildren. Wishtree is a gentle, poignant and lyrical book. I originally thought some of the harsher themes ("LEAVE") might be too much to understand for the lower end of the age…
Feb 25, 2019vreinfried rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I'm not crying, you're crying!
Feb 15, 2019
Katherine Applegate might be my favorite children's author after reading this one! Like The One and Only Ivan, the language in this book is simple yet profound. Red is a perfect protagonist and teaches readers so many valuable lessons…
BooksRRAwesome
Jan 24, 2019BooksRRAwesome rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Just finished this too-short book and wished it could have gone on. If you love trees and animals, you will adore this book!! The story of inclusion within it is very nice but not what I loved most. I fell mostly for the beauty of the…
Nov 09, 2018
This is a charming little book that promotes inclusivity in a nice way. I particularly enjoyed the tree narrator's voice and the details about how animals name themselves. Highly recommended!
Nov 02, 2018IndyPL_SteveB rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Another exceptionally wise yet simple children’s novel from the Newbery Award-winning author of *The One and Only Ivan*. Applegate tells the story of an American community through the point of view of a 200-year-old red oak tree, Red. …
Aug 07, 2018ArapahoeMarcia rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
A beautifully written book about inclusivity. The dedication says it all: "For newcomers and for welcomers."