Atmospheric and gloomy. And just the right about of spooky that you look for in a middle grade novel.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Immy and her family escape their small town to a secluded how so her father can get back on her feet. What they don't know is there is a magical tree in the backyard. A quick page-turning read for kids.

For the most part The Mulberry Tree lived up to my expectations. The tree was indeed a character in this book, and it didn't come across as some literary analogy with a deeper meaning to be extracted by the reader. It was a creepy tree with creepy intentions, and I loved that about this book.

Some of The Mulberry Tree was hard hitting. The dad was dealing with depression, and Immy was dealing with a parent who just wasn't around the same way that they used to be. It really pulled on my emotions, and I loved the relationship that Immy had with her dad and with the people around her in the village.

My only complaint was the ending. It wasn't a bad ending at all, but it took something away from my overall experience with The Mulberry Tree. I felt like the book deserved a little bit more of a messy ending instead of one so neatly wrapped up. I still highly recommend it, though. My creepy tree loving self is so happy to have read it. It's one I'm definitely passing on to my kids. I think they'll love it, too.

A spooky read that's perfect for kids who want a little horror in their reading. Rushby's atmosphere is enveloping and she hits that perfect note of relatability and strangeness in her writing. I'm looking forward to what she does next.

Do naught wrong by the mulberry tree;
Or she’ll take your daughters;
One, two three.
In the dead of night, spirited away;
Never to see an eleventh birthday.

Description: Mystic, eerie, yet wonderfully written! The book was about the cursed mulberry tree from the back garden of the Lavender Cottage, where Imogen (Immy) and her family recently moved there. The tree was the core topic of the residents’ conversation, including the rhyme itself, which they wished to avoid at all costs, after some disappearances among the little girls. They said that there’ll be a new knot on the tree’s bark after one disappeared, another said that it’ll be ‘kidnapping’ the girls exactly on their 11th birthdays – the proof was the disappearances of Elizabeth (Jean’s friend) and Bridget. When she went to school for the first time - strangely – some of the students were boys and just a few of them were girls! One day, after Immy has been friends with Caitlyn and Erin, there’s a physical shift on Caitlyn’s face – her eyes turn green and her hair turns pinkish. Somehow, all of her doubts were being answered on that very day – by the tree – but it produces a beautiful, gleaming, color-changing berry that tempts her to take and eat it away, and amazingly, she’s been teleported to the day where Elizabeth disappears on VE Day. She’s still not satisfied, and she teleports herself for the second time to Bridget’s. This is the part that spills my tears, as the tree has its own ‘daughter’, but it didn’t bear any fruit just like its ‘mother’, and Bridget’s parents decided to relocate it to another place. That’s why the ‘mother’ ‘kidnaps’ the little girls! Back to her place, Immy realized that she’s wrong for being angry for that tree, without knowing the dark secret that it hides all this time, and she decided to bring her ‘daughter’ back. Finally, when her birthday came, the tree seems happier and the knots were gone!

Conclusion: It’s all about forgiveness, as it’s everything.

The Mulberry Tree is a middle grade book that follows Immy, a little girl that moves from Australia to a English village because of her mother's work and an accident that involves her father. In this village, her family moves to a house that has a cursed mulberry tree in the garden, and it's said that the mulberry takes little girls in their eleventh birthday eve. With Immy's eleventh birthday nearing, she not only has to discover the secret of the tree, but has to deal with the village hate for that tree.
I LOVED the story. I loved how it is written: light, fresh and never boring. If it wasn't for classes, I think I could have read it in one sitting, because apart from Rushby's writing, the story was so good built; not one part was left loose, and there's not a single plot hole. I appreciate this SO MUCH. I'm a little tired of reading stories full of plot holes, and this book was able to cure me.
And now, to the most important thing (for me) and the main reason why I wanted to read this book: the tree, the second main character, if we can call it that. The mulberry tree was an interesting element that I was really hoping to read, and it didn't dissappoint me: reading about that mulberry tree was a mix of excitment, fear and sadness. The same can be said about the book: while reading it, I was excited, I was scared and in some parts I was sad, too. The Mulberry Tree is not only the story of a brave little girl, it also covers loss (in Immy's father, in the Tree and in the village), and I have to admit that I think there's where the story came to a halt. The treatment of loss was really light in my opinion; Immy's way to deal with it was a little violent in some parts (especially the ones involving her father), and the 'resolution' of the loss arc was quick and it lacked development (also, some things can't be resolved with a hug, just saying).
The second thing I didn't like so much was the ending; as I said about the loss arc, the ending lacked development; one page was something, and the next we had the last chapter. I was expecting more of it because of the way the mulberry curse is covered in the rest of the book; for me, it just isn't at the height of the story.
But apart from these details, I enjoyed the book greatly, and the last lines were really beautiful!

The creepy rhyme (as well as that cover) made me pick this book up, wanting a good autumnal read. Set at the end of summer, it does have a decent creepy feel… making it the perfect read for this time of year.

Immy moves with her parents from Australia to an English village for a year. They find the perfect house… with an evil, magical tree in the garden. It has already made two girls disappear on the eve of their eleventh birthday, and Immy is turning 11 in less than a month. She makes it her mission to find out what has happened to the girls.

But it is also the story of Immy going to a new school in a new country, making new friends (while being the girl that lives with the creepy tree). And it is a story of family, what for me was probably the strongest part of this book.

Immy’s father struggles with depression. Seeing this through the eyes of his daughter, and Immy trying to find a way to deal with it was handled very well and is what really made this an interesting read for me.

The ending didn’t really work for me. It took the magic of the tree a bit too far, and I don’t see the need for it. Also, the genetics in it make no sense at all (though the target audience probably wouldn’t be too bothered about it).

Overall this was a decent read. The happy ending came about a bit too easy for my liking, skipping some potential creepiness, and the conclusion was just unnecessary. But I did enjoy and appreciate the look at mental illness, guilt and forgiveness.

I appreciate having had an opportunity to read and review this book. The appeal of this particular book was not evident to me, and if I cannot file a generally positive review I prefer simply to advise the publisher to that effect and file no review at all.

This was such a lovely tale! I'm actually sad I read it during summer instead of autumn, this story would be perfect for that!
There was this overall spooky vibe, which I totally loved, and it stayed that way until the very end. It had me hooked on my seat, and I didn't want to stop reading! The story easily pulled me in, which was definitely a plus. The characters were likeable, especially Immy, the main character.

Can highly recommend!

After a tragic accident with a patient drives Immy and her parents to movie from Australia to England, the Lavender Cottage seems like the perfect place for Immy and her parents to rebuild their lives. On the land, however, is an ancient Mulberry Tree. Legend has it that the tree is the reason two 11-year-old girls disappeared. Immy’s father scoffs at the superstition, but she cannot help but be drawn to the tree. To make things creepier, she is haunted by a nursery rhyme only she can hear. Could the legend of the tree be true? Will Immy be its next victim? This spooky plot is engaging and well-crafted. With themes of forgiveness, mystery, intrigue, and the supernatural, there will be something for almost every reader to enjoy. Those who enjoy horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, and mysteries will enjoy reading this book.
Please note: This was a complementary review copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No financial compensation was received.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for a review copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Quotes are taken from an unfinished version and may differ from the final product.

I’m an absolute sucker for books with creepy rhymes, so this one caught my eye right away. That cover is all dark and spooky, and the rhyme at the very beginning of the blurb? Yup, that’s about my speed.

Despite being dark and creepy, The Mulberry Tree has a surprising amount of heart. It’s about anger and revenge, but also about healing and forgiveness and understanding. The dichotomy was just *chef’s kiss*.

While I’d say this one was pretty low on the creep factor, it was spooky enough to stay interesting, but not so much that it would be considered too scary for younger middle grade readers. Rushby does a great job of building atmosphere, though, and her prose was so lovely to read.

My Thoughts:

- Immy’s relationship with her dad is so sweet and strong, but it’s going through a bit of turmoil now as she struggles to cope with his PTSD. This has all the sweetness of strong family bonds with an added layer of reality sprinkled on top. The move to England is supposed to be a fresh start for Immy and her family, but there’s no running from their real problems: a workaholic mom who’s never home and a father suffering from PTSD. This is a very realistic scenario, and I enjoyed the way the book tackled it, because all the way through, you can still tell how much Immy and her father love each other, as they try to rekindle the closeness they’ve lost recently.

- I thought the PTSD and the family dynamics in general were really well done and give the reader a lot to think about. The way the family dynamic changes and unfolds through this story as Immy comes to grips with her father being a different person and unable to do the things she’s used to him doing was so poignant and tragic and beautiful, all at the same time. Because he’s trying. No one can accuse him of not. But there’s no quick, easy fix for PTSD, but it starts with understanding and empathy. Actually, understanding is a major theme in the book, and I like how it all tied together in that way.

- The creepy, daughter-stealing tree in this is really a character unto itself. It’s given a personality itself and has a backstory and everything, which was an interesting choice, but I love the way this was built. At first, the tree is just that … a tree with a silly superstition surrounding it. As the book gets going, though, it takes on its own creepy persona. I mean, creepy trees are creepy, but there’s so much more to the story here than meets the eye!

- I loved the creepy rhyme in this, but the superstition was way overhyped and didn’t quite make sense. I mean, two girls went missing. Two. In the past 150 years. It’s a pretty tenuous connection, if you ask me. Yeah, the circumstances are strange, and the girls belonged to the same family, but it felt really flimsy to me that the disappearances are tied together so suredly, from the mid-1800s and the mid-1900s, that it affects what happens in the present day. I understand why they’re linked, but it just struck me as odd that it was such a big deal. The ending was also really convenient and deus ex machina feeling, to the point where Immy doesn’t actually do anything in this book, which I think robbed her of a real opportunity here. The book delivers more on the emotional aspect than the creepy aspect, because as said, Immy isn’t really the hero in this. Her emotional transformation is a super powerful and beautiful one, and I loved the way that was done, but as for the overall conflict of the book, it was a bit of a bummer the way it was resolved because Immy didn’t actually play a real role in that at all.

For a curse plot to be strong, it has to follow a strict rule structure. That's the strength of this novel. The curse follows a very specific pattern. So, then, does the plot: strange occurrences lead to the discovery of the curse, leading to specific steps being taken to break the curse. This book has a long lead in, devoting far more time to revealing the curse than to the curse breaking. This imbalance, though, allows for more development of the characters and their relationships, the subplots of mental illness and the ways we treat each other. The stakes are actually pretty low so it's not especially spooky. Still, an interesting exploration of the way a single action can have long ranging consequences.

Imogen "Immy" Watts and her parents move from Sydney, Australia to a small village in Cambridgeshire, England for her mother's new job. Immy's mother really wants the English cottage experience so they end up renting 'Lavender Cottage' despite the dark and foreboding ancient mulberry tree that spreads ominously over the back garden and the local gossip that the tree has stolen two girls away on their eleventh birthday. Immy just happens to be turning eleven soon, but she and her parents aren't all that superstitious and they wave off the concerns of the townspeople. But Immy can't shake the feeling that there really is something wrong with the mulberry tree and that she might end up as the latest victim!

This is a really cute story wrapped up in a mysterious and somewhat spooky shell. The mystery of the mulberry tree looms ominously over real-life issues that Immy, her parents, and the other townsfolk experience. Immy tries to unravel the mystery of the mulberry tree and the missing girls before it's too late while also maneuvering a new school, bitter rivals, and a father with PTSD.

While this seems like a strictly spooky read, it actually includes a lot of contemporary topics and touches on bullying, depression, guilt, and more. There's a good balance of everyday life and the mystery and thrill of the spooky tree. It's a great coming-of-age story with a few useful life-lessons thrown in and it has a happy ending!

I would recommend this to young readers who want a mystery but not too much spook!

An excellent story, engrossing and entertaining. I loved the style of writing and how well the author mixes the horror/folklore them with social issues like depression.
The story is excellent, the characters are well thought and it keeps on the edge even if it's never a real horror.
I think it can be appreciated by children and adult.
I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The creepy vibe, tied in with themes of belonging and empathy, make this an excellent middle grade book. While the book isn't truly scary, it does have enough of a mystery to keep the reader interested, and the real heart of the book is Immy's relationship with her dad as he deals with depression.

Being the new kid in town is never easy, but being the new kid in town who lives in a cursed cottage proves to be much more difficult for sure.

The Mulberry Tree is a wonderfully eerie middle grade novel based around a small English town, where a cursed tree has continuously haunted locals for decades. When Immy and her family relocate to Cambridgeshire, England for her mother's job, they never expected that the local villagers would be quite so superstitious. Many believe the old Mulberry tree is responsible for the young girls who have gone missing from Lavender Cottage, each one having simply disappeared on the eve of their eleventh birthday.

Allison Rushby delicately balances a novel that not only focuses on the creepy folk legend at hand, but also touches on bigger realistic issues - such as parental depression - all while maintaining a child's point of view.

Despite the ending being a bit too far fetched for me, The Mulberry Tree was a wonderful story that I would absolutely recommend for MG level readers.

Immy and her family are moving to a tiny village in England for a couple of reasons. Her mom has a job there, and they are hoping that being away from the hustle and bustle of city life will help her father deal with his depression and get back on his feet.
Against the advice of their realtor, Immy's parents sign a one year lease on the Lavender House. The villagers claim that the menacing mulberry tree in the backyard steals girls who live their on their eleventh birthdays. With Immy's eleventh birthday coming soon, they plan to prove to everyone that trees don't steal children. It's all nonsense.

This is both creepy and heartwarming. I really enjoyed it. Perfect for middle grade fans.

A serviceable suspense/horror text for the under 12 set. It was creepy without being terrifying and ended positively, although I wasn't entirely pleased with the resolution (it just seemed a bit messy to me). I felt the writing was at times clunky, but was pleased overall.

This was just the right amount of spooky, in my opinion, for a middle grade read. I think my daughter will love it and I will definitely recommend it to her. The end was really interesting, and I could see this being helpful for a child who has a parent that suffers from mental health issues, Imogen’s Dad seems to struggle with depression and Immy needs to learn how to deal with him and her own disappointment at his behavior.

The Mulberry Tree is the beautifully written, mysterious tale of Immy who moves with her parents to a small village in order to have a fresh start. The plot focuses on the Mulberry tree that looms over the backyard of the house her family decides to rent. But the once fruitful tree no longer thrives, instead it’s said to steal girls on the eve of their 11th birthday.

Immy is a fiery and whip-smart main character. Allison Rushby does an amazing job of presenting difficult topics and concepts to the reader while at the same time coaching Immy through the tough parts of her life. The atmosphere was dark and magical and really drew me into the winding mystery of Immy’s journey.

Personally, I loved how this was also a love letter to village life. Stories and superstitions are integral to the community of village life and I really appreciated how Allison wove that into her story. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!