The Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

Red, an old red maple tree, has long served as the neighborhood "wishtree."  People write notes on pieces of paper or cloth at attach them to her branches each May Day.  Red is a wise old tree and does what she can to watch over the animals that live in her hollows and the neighbor children who live in the houses on either side of her.  When one of the children, a middle-eastern girl named Samar, wishes for a real friend, Red determines to do all she can to bring Samar and the boy across the yard, together, even if it means breaking some rules.

This is a shamelessly moralistic story.  We have the "save the trees" message on one hand, and the "be kind to immigrants" message on the other.  These are both important messages, but I thought Applegate was just too heavy handed with them here.  That said, I must admit that I did start to tear up at one point near the end of the book.  I guess, if anyone can do heavy handed moralizing well, it is Katherine Applegate. 

There is a saying that when times are easy, the Newbery committee chooses an edgy book, and when times are rough, the committee chooses a feel-good book.  Well, things have been pretty rough this year.  Will this be a Newbery contender?  Maybe, but it is not as well written as either Clayton Byrde, or Beyond the Bright Sea. (2017, 215 p.)