Author: Andrea Koehle Jones
Illustrator: Alicia Padron
Publisher: AuthorHouse 2008

I love this book. I love the warmth of the illustrations, I love the language of the book and I love the feeling that I have when reading it. This is certainly a feel-good book and it’s one that I hope many of you will consider giving this Holiday Season. This book focuses on wishes that we make throughout our life…simple, basic wishes…pure and genuine. We wish for shelter, friendship, memories, and yes, mountain bikes too!

I really like that the trees are planted and each one symbolizes something of significance. While the message in this story can certainly be one of nature and its beauty, I really feel that this book can be used to speak to children about gratitude and wishes that they have. Wishes for themselves but wishes for others, wishes for the world and wishes for the earth. The universality of this book is far reaching and speaks to everyone…grown ups included! And in case you were wondering….it’s printed on recycled paper!

I am so pleased that this book was brought to me so that I could share it with all my readers. This book is truly a wonderful Holiday gift. The world would be an even more beautiful place if we all planted a Wish Tree!

Ideas for Post Reading Discussion

• What do you wish for?
• What does Reggie’s Sharing Tree mean to you?
• What does Maia’s Cloud tree mean to you? Select various trees throughout the story and ask your child about its personal meaning to them.
• What would your tree be called? Why?