Katherine Applegate’s novel Wishtree is told from the perspective of a centuries-old oak tree named Red. When a young Muslim girl named Samar and her family move into a house on Red’s street, Red watches in dismay as several members of the human community quickly come to view Samar's family with fear and hatred, feelings that appear to be fueled solely by Islamophobic beliefs. As Red works to reduce tensions within the community and to demonstrate the importance of compassion, Applegate infuses the narrative with themes such as hope, tolerance, community, the power of storytelling, and the importance of ongoing environmental protections.
