by Roseanne Greenfield Thong (Author), Connie McLennan (Illustrator)
When Ming and his grandmother visit the wishing tree on the Lunar New Year, his wishes always seem to come true. But one year the tree does not help, and Ming alone must make peace with the loss of his grandmother and the spirit of the tree.
An enormous banyan tree with thick, leafy branches grew in the center of a village near an ancient temple in a green valley with a gurgling stream.
Every Lunar New Year, Ming and his grandmother visit the Wishing Tree. Its branches are covered with wishes, each written on red and yellow paper fluttering in the breeze, secured by the weight of an orange.
Grandmother warned Ming to wish carefully, and sure enough, his wishes always seemed to come true. But one year when Ming makes the most important wish of his life, the tree lets him down.
The Wishing Tree is about the excitement of making wishes and waiting for them to come true. It is also about the love between a boy and his grandmother, and the realization that sometimes, we already possess the most important things in life.
Author Biography
Roseanne Greenfield Thong was born in Southern California where she currently works as a teacher, editor, and educational consultant. She lived in Asia for twenty years where she studied Mandarin, taught English, and visited the Wishing Tree regularly with her family. Roseanne has authored more than fifteen award-winning children's books, including Round is a Mooncake, Red is a Chili Pepper, and One is a Piñata. One of Roseanne's wishes is for her readers to visit her website, Greenfield-Thong.com, to learn more about the Wishing Tree's history and traditions!
Connie McLennan is a freelance illustrator, author, and fine artist whose work has appeared in numerous advertisements, publications, and textbooks. After earning a degree in journalism, she studied at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco. Connie grew up in Northern California and works at her home studio in Rocklin, California. Visit her online at conniemclennan.com.