My daughter brought this home from school and I have to admit, I was skeptical at first. It's told from the point of view of a tree, which sounded a little too whimsical for her taste. But she actually really enjoyed it! It's about a big old oak tree named Red, who is the neighborhood 'wishtree' where people hang wishes. There's a new Muslim family that moves in and faces some prejudice, and Red gets involved in trying to help bridge the gap and bring everyone together. If your kid is into stories with a good message and a touch of magical realism, this could be a good one.
She finished Wishtree in just a few days, which is always a good sign. There weren't any pictures, but the writing was pretty straightforward and easy to follow, even with some of the bigger themes. She did ask me a couple of questions about Islam, so it sparked some good conversations. I think the tree's perspective really helped her connect with the characters and understand the situation from a different angle. It was long enough to feel like a proper read, but not so long that she got bored.
It's AR level 4.2, worth 3.0 points, so it was a manageable challenge for her as a fourth grader. She was happy to add those points to her total. It's a decent length book for that age group, just under 20,000 words.
I'd say Wishtree is a great pick for kids who enjoy stories with a strong sense of community and a focus on kindness. It gently introduces some important topics like prejudice and acceptance without being preachy. If your child is sensitive or has had negative experiences with prejudice this may be a good conversation starter. It's also a good choice if your child likes animal stories since there is a talking crow that is one of the main characters.