Hannah's Book Reviews

After moving from Australia to a pocket-sized town in Cambridgeshire, England, 10 year old Immy, Mum and Dad were searching for a new home. Along with the help of a relocation woman, Helen, they look at many houses, the first, too dark and mouldy, the second to much like Star Trek, with everything blue, a third that was too neat, like the Dursleys, and the fourth was too small. The fifth was perfect, called lavender cottage, with a giant mulberry tree in the backyard, even with all the furniture! However, Helen didn’t even stop the car, and Immy had to yell at her to stop the car, to let them see it. Helen hadn’t stopped the car because of a story that was almost as old as the town. In this very house, many years ago, a little girl had gone missing on the eve of her 11th birthday. Then, many years later, another little girl went missing, from the same family. The day after each girl disappeared, a knot in the giant mulberry tree appeared the next morning. According to the townspeople, the mulberry tree had taken the girls. Of course, Immy and her parents don’t believe a word of it. But then, as her 11th birthday draws closer, Immy begins to hear a song in her head…

“The Mulberry Tree” is the perfect birthday present for any mystery lover, book enthusiast, or Allison Rushby addict (I’m all three!) Along with three of her other younger readers books, the Turnkey, the Three Keys and When This Bell Rings, it looks a treat on anyone 9+ years old bookshelf.