- Books
- Kids Fiction
- The Secret Tree
The Secret Tree
Featured
Author(s)
Publisher
Genre(s)
Age Range
8+
Release Date
May 01, 2012
ISBN
978-0545334792
Buy This Book
A sweet story of a tree that's literally filled with secrets.
Editor reviews
1 reviews
A Pleasant Surprise
Overall rating
5.0
Plot/Characters/Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Yup, I judged a book by it's cover. Not badly, mind you, but I wanted to read this book strictly based on the neato illustration on the cover. I had no idea that I was in for such a fantastic read.
"Minty" (Araminta) Mortimer and her best friend Paz are ready for a summer filled with fun--and especially looking forward to their roller-derby routine they have planned for their neighborhood's July 4th parade. But what Minty doesn't realize is her friendship--and life--is about to turn upside down when she gains access to all of her neighbor's secrets.
This book has a small element of magic/fantasy, but is mostly rooted in our everyday world--reality. It's that teensy bit of magic that catapults everything into high gear right from the first chapter, and Natalie Standiford's grasp on a middle-schooler's mind and problems is impeccable. The emotions and thoughts I had at the age of 11 came flooding back into my heart and mind as I turned page after page. She just knew how to connect with virtually everything a preteen and teenager is going through. The characters all had so much depth and felt so real. By the end I felt like all of her friends were my friend. With her newfound access to others' secrets and a new, mysterious friend she makes while trying to connect the secrets to their owners, Minty learns, in a beautiful, dynamic way, to not judge a book (or person) by it's cover.
"Minty" (Araminta) Mortimer and her best friend Paz are ready for a summer filled with fun--and especially looking forward to their roller-derby routine they have planned for their neighborhood's July 4th parade. But what Minty doesn't realize is her friendship--and life--is about to turn upside down when she gains access to all of her neighbor's secrets.
This book has a small element of magic/fantasy, but is mostly rooted in our everyday world--reality. It's that teensy bit of magic that catapults everything into high gear right from the first chapter, and Natalie Standiford's grasp on a middle-schooler's mind and problems is impeccable. The emotions and thoughts I had at the age of 11 came flooding back into my heart and mind as I turned page after page. She just knew how to connect with virtually everything a preteen and teenager is going through. The characters all had so much depth and felt so real. By the end I felt like all of her friends were my friend. With her newfound access to others' secrets and a new, mysterious friend she makes while trying to connect the secrets to their owners, Minty learns, in a beautiful, dynamic way, to not judge a book (or person) by it's cover.
Good Points
I honestly don't know how to convey how much I enjoyed this book. It pulled me in immediately and had so much that I could glean from it, and will no doubt give kids at this age pause, helping them rethink their peers in a way that is healthy and freeing, not to mention potentially life-changing.
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