Wishtree

Why does Katherine Applegate choose a tree as the narrator instead of Samar or another human character? What can Red see and say that a human narrator couldn't?

The person who carved 'LEAVE' into Red's trunk is never identified. Why does Applegate keep the carver anonymous? Would the novel be stronger or weaker if we knew who did it?

Samar's wish is 'I wish I had a friend.' Why is this simple wish more powerful than a bigger wish like 'I wish everyone would stop being mean' or 'I wish we could move somewhere better'?

Red says she has seen the same cycle of prejudice against newcomers repeat for 216 years. Is this observation hopeful or depressing? Can something that keeps happening still be fixable?

Samar's mother plants tomatoes in the backyard. Why does Applegate include this detail? What does gardening mean in the context of a family being told to leave?

The word 'LEAVE' is carved into Red's body and will be there forever, even as new bark grows over it. What does this image suggest about how communities heal from acts of hate?

Bongo the crow disagrees with almost everything Red does but helps her anyway. What does their friendship teach about how allies behave? Do you have to agree with someone to support them?

Red's animal community — crows, raccoons, squirrels, opossums — all share the same tree despite being different species. How is this a parallel to the human neighborhood?

If your school or neighborhood created a real wishtree, what do you think people would wish for? Would the wishes be more similar or more different than you'd expect?

Some neighbors support Samar's family, some are hostile, and some stay silent. Which group does the most damage? Is silence a form of agreement?

Red feels the carving physically — the knife in her bark, the exposure of her inner wood. Why does Applegate make the hate crime a physical wound to the narrator's body?

Compare Wishtree to another book about a community dealing with prejudice. How does Applegate's approach — using a non-human narrator and a gentle tone — differ from more direct approaches?

The novel ends with Samar having one friend, not with the entire neighborhood transformed. Is this a satisfying ending? Does one friendship count as success?

Red has watched the same cycle of xenophobia repeat with Irish, Italian, Black, Asian, and now Muslim families. How does this historical pattern affect your reading of the current conflict? Does history make things better or worse?

Samar's family is Muslim, and the book specifically addresses Islamophobia. Why is it important to name the specific type of prejudice rather than just saying 'prejudice' in general?

Red's roots extend beneath the entire neighborhood, connecting every property. What does this physical fact suggest about how communities are connected, even when they don't realize it?

The wish-catalogue includes wishes in many languages from many years. What does Applegate accomplish by listing these wishes together without hierarchy?

Red is a tree who decides to act. In real life, who are the 'trees' in your community — the quiet presences that could make a difference if they spoke up?

Applegate wrote this book after the 2016 election in response to rising anti-Muslim sentiment. Does knowing the political context change how you read the story? Should children's books respond to current events?

Red says 'sometimes patience isn't enough.' When is patience a virtue and when is it a failure? How do you know the difference?

Compare Red to another non-human narrator you've encountered in fiction. What do non-human perspectives reveal about human behavior that human narrators miss?

The novel's animals cooperate across species to help Red's plan. What does interspecies cooperation look like as a metaphor for human diversity? What can we learn from how different species share space?

Samar is described as scientifically curious — she studies Red's tree as a naturalist. Why does Applegate give Samar this specific interest?

The word 'LEAVE' is carved at night when no one is watching. Why do acts of prejudice so often happen anonymously? What does anonymity tell us about the carver's relationship to their own beliefs?

Red has been a 'good tree' for 216 years — standing, witnessing, enduring. When she finally acts, is she betraying her nature or fulfilling it? Can witnessing become a form of complicity?

If you were going to write a story about your neighborhood from a non-human perspective, what narrator would you choose and why? What would that narrator see that you can't?

The novel suggests that community repair happens through small gestures — a hello, a shared ritual, a wish tied to a branch. Do you agree? Or does meaningful change require bigger actions?

Compare the 'LEAVE' carved into Red's trunk to graffiti, vandalism, or hate speech in your own community. How do physical marks on shared spaces affect everyone who sees them, not just the intended target?

Applegate's tone is gentle throughout — even when describing prejudice. Could a more angry or confrontational tone have been more effective? What does gentleness accomplish that anger can't, and what does it miss?

Red will outlive everyone in the current neighborhood. In 100 years, what will the wishes on her branches say? Will the word 'LEAVE' still be readable? What does thinking on a tree's timescale change about how you see this conflict?