The Angel Tree, written by Daphne Benedis-Grab, reviewed by Caroline Rabideau

Summary: Every year, in the center of town, in the middle of the night, when noone is around, it appears: the Angel Tree. The next day the town begins wishing. Each wish is written on a white slip of paper and tied to the tree. Wishes come and go, taken by town-members who can make those wishes come true. One by one each wish is pulled, and each wish is granted. But who is really behind the angel tree? This year, Cami, Lucy, Max, and Joe are on a mission to discover who is behind the Angel Tree. Their town has been so blessed, they want to return the blessings to the silent gifter. They will spend the month before Christmas using their best detective skills to discover who is behind the Angel Tree and, in the meantime, form a friendship that they never had imagined. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: I can't say enough about how good this book is! Within the first 4 chapters, I was completely touched by each of the main characters. Joe, Max, Cami, and Lucy are so realistic and relatable. They are each struggling with something in their life and are desperate for a solution when they seek the help of the Angel Tree. Though they weren't friends when they started seeking answers about who was behind the magic of the Tree, by the end of the book, they have formed such a deep friendship. Individually, they each struggled with changes in their lives, but each one felt the joy of success. Together, they learned to appreciate and help each other as friends, and celebrated together when they finally discovered the source of their Angel Tree. 

Even though the book is written for children, I had no idea who was behind the tree until the very end. The Angel Tree was very well written, revealing clues and twists at just the correct moments to keep the reader hooked. As a librarian, I found is is often hard to find age-appropriate mysteries for my middle school readers, but I would highly suggest The Angel Tree. 

Also, my middle schoolers often wanted Christmas-themed books around this time of year, and The Angel Tree would be a wonderful and heartwarming book to distribute. Though it was a mystery, it was heartwarming, inspiring, and exactly what Christmas-readers are usually seeking at this time of year. 

Finally, I believe it is worth noting, this was a very easy read. I think this would be a great book for the middle-schooler who struggles with reading. It's got enough excitement and action to keep a quick pace. The sentences and paragraphs are often short, so they move quickly. And chapters are labeled like a Christmas countdown, so it naturally paces time for the reader. 

I would highly suggest this for ANY library, though I believe it will appeal best from upper elementary to middle school. Also, if your school holds a Giving or Angel Tree, this would make a great addition to your library. I think it would be a great introduction to a community event, or a great group Christmas read. Finally, if you're looking for a great Christmas novel to read with your family, this would be perfect. You could even read the chapter each day that corresponds with the day leading up to Christmas. Excellently written, I highly suggest The Angel Tree as a wonderful mystery or Christmas novel.