Loose Leaf Notes

“It’s hard to talk to trees. We’re not big on chit chat. That’s not to say we can’t do amazing things, things you’ll probably never do. Cradle downy owlets. Steady flimsy tree forts. Photosynthesize. But talk to people? Not so much.” – From Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

-The following first appeared in The Floyd Press on May 23, 2024.  Seating reservations filled up fast to meet award winning author Katherine Applegate at the Jessie Peterman Memorial library on May 1st. Applegate, a New York Times bestseller and Newberry Medal recipient, is the author of more than 150 books, including Wishtree, a 2017 book for young readers that recently got pulled from a One Division, One Book community reading by the Floyd County School public school system after complaints regarding the story’s narrator, a 200-year-old talking, self-pollinating monoecious red oak.

During the first of two one-hour-long presentations that included a slideshow and questions from an engaged audience of nearly 100, Applegate talked about what it was like to be a writer.  She explained that writers see things from a different perspective.  “I had to pretend to be a gorilla to write about a talking gorilla,” she said, referring to her book The One and Only Ivan, which was made into a Disney film.

Children, many of whom were middle-school aged and had read Wishtree, were a well-represented part of Applegate’s audience, and she spoke directly to them throughout the presentation.  She explained that a wishing tree is an ancient tradition of writing down your wishes for yourself, others or the world and hanging them from a tree, which the children were able to do from a tree on the library grounds.

Applegate noted that the inspiration for Wishtree’s theme of community driven change came from Iowa newspaper story, which began “A racist note telling a Sudanese-American family in Iowa City to “go home” has led to an outpouring of support from the community.” Her book, which one New York Times reviewer called “a deceptively simple, tender tale in which respect, resilience, and hope triumph,” includes writing from the point of view of the red oak’s animal friends.

At the close of the presentation and before a long line formed for book signing, Applegate asked the children to share their wishes. They included: having a sister, wanting all people to be safe, wishing no one was sick and world peace.

“There are lots of ways kids can be heroes,” Applegate told the children. “One way is to be welcoming and kind,” she said. – Colleen Redman

Photos: 1. Author Katherine Applegate’s gave a warm and  humorous presentation at the Jessie Peterman Library on May 1st. 2. Applegate gave two library presentations to audiences of 75-100 and spoke to students at the Blue Mountain School before the presentations.  3. Children were a well-represented part of the audience. 4. The children, many of whom had read Wishtree, were happy to engage with the author. 5. “Reading is a joy. Books are a joy,” said Mary Crook (left), a Library of Defense League of Virginia member who came from Richmond to attend. 6. Applegate’s humor drew laughs from the crowd. Librarians were honored with applause. 7. Applegate talked with attendees as she signed books.  8. Isaac Ally’s wish “for the world to be a rainbow” was hung on the library wish tree with the help of his mother Jodi.  9. A wish for “all to feel welcome.”