Wishtree

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.

Reader Fit: Perfect for readers who appreciate thoughtful stories about kindness, friendship, and creating welcoming communities.

Why We Carry It: We carry Wishtree because it encourages children to see empathy and inclusion as everyday choices. Through a neighborhood's story, it demonstrates the importance of welcoming people whose experiences may be different from our own.