"I have been a wishtree for a very long time."
That line hit me about ten minutes in, and I had to pause my thesis procrastination to just... sit with it. Look, I picked this up because I needed something short between Stormlight Archive re-listens, and Katherine Applegate's name carries weight. The One and Only Ivan wrecked me. But a talking tree? In a kids' book? I wasn't sure the magic system—okay, there's no magic system, Tom, calm down—would work for me.
It worked. It really, really worked.
A Tree With More Character Than Half My D&D Party
Red is an oak tree. She's 216 rings old. She watches a neighborhood change around her, one season at a time, and when a new family moves in and faces prejudice from their neighbors, she decides to do something about it. For the first time in her very long life.
Here's the thing about Applegate's writing—she makes you believe a tree can have opinions. Strong ones. Red is wise but not preachy, observant but not passive. She's got this dry humor that Nancy Linari absolutely nails in the narration. There's a crow named Bongo who lives in Red's branches and provides comic relief, and honestly? Bongo would fit right into a campaign I ran last semester. Chaotic neutral energy. Love that bird.
The world-building here—and yes, I'm using that term for a 2.5-hour middle-grade book—is surprisingly rich. Applegate builds this whole ecosystem of animals living in Red's hollows, each with distinct personalities. The raccoon family. The possum. The way they interact with Red and with each other. It's not Sanderson-level complexity, but it's *chef's kiss* in its own way. Every detail serves the story.
Nancy Linari Walked So Red Could Stand
I'll admit I didn't know much about Nancy Linari before this. But after two and a half hours? I get why she's got an Earphones Award. Her voice for Red has this warm, measured quality—like your favorite teacher who actually listened when you talked. She keeps the story from getting heavy-handed, which is crucial because the themes here (prejudice, belonging, community) could easily tip into After School Special territory.
But they don't. Linari finds the humor in Applegate's writing and leans into it just enough. When Bongo does something ridiculous, you can hear the affection in Red's exasperation. When the story gets serious—and it does, there's a scene involving a hateful word carved into Red's trunk that genuinely made me angry—Linari doesn't oversell it. She trusts the words.
The character voices are distinct without being cartoonish. That's harder than it sounds. I've listened to audiobooks where every character sounds like a different Muppet, and it pulls you right out. Linari keeps everyone grounded.
Why This Hit Different
I grew up in rural Georgia. Small town. Not a lot of diversity. I remember when a family moved in from somewhere else—I won't say where—and how some people reacted. I was maybe ten. I didn't fully understand it then, but I remembered the tension. The whispers.
Wishtree captures that feeling without flinching. The new family in the book, Samar and her parents, are Muslim. Their neighbors aren't all welcoming. Someone carves "LEAVE" into Red's trunk. And Red, this ancient tree who has watched humans be terrible and wonderful to each other for over two centuries, decides that this time, she's going to act.
It's a kids' book, yeah. But the message isn't dumbed down. It's just... accessible. That same kind of clarity shows up in QBQ! The Question Behind the Question, though it's aimed at workplace accountability rather than neighborhood kindness. My D&D group—bunch of grad students and one very patient barista—would appreciate how Applegate handles moral complexity without making it feel like homework.
Two Hours That Roll a Natural 20
Two hours and thirty-four minutes. That's nothing. I've spent longer arguing about whether paladins can be chaotic neutral. (They can't. Fight me.) But this little book packs so much into that runtime. It's warm without being saccharine. It's got things to say without being preachy. And Nancy Linari's narration makes it feel like Red is right there, telling you her story directly.
Would I recommend this to adults? Absolutely. Would I recommend it to kids? Even more absolutely. Would I recommend it to my advisor as evidence that I'm capable of focusing on something for extended periods? ...Let's not push it.
Who should listen: Anyone who needs a palate cleanser between heavier listens, parents looking for something to share with younger listeners, or folks who want a reminder that hope isn't naive—it's a choice. Who should skip: If you need intricate plot mechanics or can't vibe with a talking tree narrator, this probably isn't your quest.
At 2.5 hours, you've got no excuse not to give it a shot.
