Creepy, Atmospheric Middle Grade

Everything about The Mulberry Tree (Candlewick Press, July 14, 2020) was lovely. It starts with that cover, which perfectly captures the heart of the story and ends with a wonderful message of understanding others' perspectives.

Immy and her family move from Australia to England under stressful circumstances. It's first mentioned that it's for her mother's new job, but it progresses to her father's troubles stemming from a patient's accident. When they arrive at Lavender Cottage, they think it's the perfect match for them: charming village life away from the big city. But there are warnings everywhere: the ominous mulberry tree in their yard is said to take girls on the eve of their eleventh birthday.

And Immy's is only days away. The villagers believe the tree is evil, while Immy and her family think they're being absolutely ridiculous. But are they?

This is a wonderful choice for younger middle graders. It reads quickly and deals with issues other than the spooky tree factor: moving to a new school and fitting in, dealing with bullying behavior, developing empathy, a parent's mental illness.

I loved the flashbacks to Bridgette and Elizabeth, particularly VE Day, and wish there was more of that. It did seem a bit rushed by the time it happened. I wish it could have been more balanced with the father's depression.

I was also so frustrated with Immy's mother (the dad I get, he was not well) leaving her ten year old daughter to be checking whether her dad was taking his medication. This actually isn't a criticism of the book: I think it's something a lot of children deal with.

Thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for providing this arc for review. This publisher continues to impress with its quality children's literature.