The Mulberry Tree by Allison Rushby – Review

A captivating novel.

WHAT’S THE BOOK ABOUT

Do naught wrong by the mulberry tree, or she’ll take your daughters … one, two, three.

Ten-year-old Immy and her family run away from their storm cloud of problems to a tiny village in Cambridgeshire, England. When they find an adorable thatched cottage to begin a perfect new life in, the only downside is the ancient, dark and fierce-looking mulberry tree in the back garden. And the legend that comes with it – the villagers say the tree steals away girls living in the cottage on the eve of their eleventh birthday.

Of course, Immy thinks this is ridiculous.

Then she starts to hear a strange song in her head…

Allison Rushby’s new novel for middle-grade readers is a captivating, spooky mystery.

The Mulberry Tree by Allison Rushby – Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK

The Mulberry Tree by Allison Rushby is a little gem of a book. It is a captivating middle-grade novel.

The book has an intriguing beginning. Ten-year old Immy relocates to Cambridgeshire, England with her family from Australia. They find a perfect thatched cottage with a beautiful garden to live in. The only problem is the dark, barren, menacing-looking mulberry tree in their backyard. Villagers say the tree steals girls who haven’t yet reached their eleventh birthday. Immy and her family does not believe in such superstitions. Until, Immy starts hearing a song in her head. Does the tree really steals girls? Is Immy going to suffer the same fate? Read this enchanting book to find out.

From the first page, the book grabbed my attention. It’s not often that a middle-grade book holds my attention so much that I don’t even feel the need to browse social media. I raced through the pages to discover the mystery behind the lore of girls being stolen by a tree.

The haunting prose does lend a spookiness to the story. The author’s visually descriptive and lucid writing brings out the scariness of the tree beautifully.

Moreover, The Mulberry Tree features a poignant exploration of Immy’s father’s struggle with depression and its effect on the family. Further, I loved the relationship between Immy and her dad. I was ecstatic when she understood her father’s predicament. It is a beautiful book that underscores the simple message of forgiveness. Rushby seamlessly blends real-life teachings with magic.

It’s an addictive story. To be honest, I wasn’t spooked on reading the story. I was just curious to know more about this scary mulberry tree. However, the target audience will surely feel the chills on reading this book.

I found The Mulberry Tree by Allison Rushby to be an absolutely engrossing middle-grade book. Highly recommended for my middle-grade readers and their parents.

The Mulberry Tree by Allison Rushby

BOOK DETAILS

Genre: Middle-grade, Fantasy || Pages: 294  || Published on July 1st 2018 by Walker Books Australia

Goodreads

AUTHOR BIO

Allison Rushby

Allison Rushby adores cities with long, winding histories; wild, overgrown cemeteries; redbrick Victorian museums; foxes; tea; and ivy. She lives in Queensland, Australia.

Author Link(s): Website || Twitter

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