The Secret Tree

Gr 5–7—There's a tree in the woods near a quiet suburban Baltimore town; a tree with roots deep enough to house a ghost that feeds on secrets. And this town has enough secrets to keep the tree humming, and it plays a part in a fast-paced plot with intriguing characters. It's the summer before Minty Mortimer and her friend Paz Calderon start middle school. Until recently, the girls only wanted to be roller-derby skaters named Minty Fresh and Pax A. Punch. But now, secrets and a bit of magic are the catalyst for a summer of change for Minty and those who share their secrets with the tree-and even those who don't. After Paz starts hanging out with a group of cool girls, Minty becomes friends with Raymond, a runaway who lives in an abandoned model home. They spy on neighbors to solve secrets left in the tree; they believe in curses, and in the wisdom and auras seen only by Otis, a vendor who sells produce from a horse-drawn wagon. Themes of friendship, loneliness, family dysfunction, and even mental illness are presented in Minty's naïve, engaging narration. The plot contrivances-all ends well with generally everyone happy-are satisfying with an almost nostalgic feel for summers and communities of times past.—Maria B. Salvadore, formerly at District of Columbia Public Library