"A charming and hilarious tale for kids ages 4-8 about how accepting others can enrich us all--featuring capybaras, the beloved animal sensation capturing hearts around the world."--Provided by publisher.

During a student exchange program, seventh-graders Ivy June and Catherine share their lives, homes, and communities, and find that although their lifestyles are total opposites they have a lot in common.

"Trees can't tell jokes, but they can certainly tell stories. . . . Red is an oak tree who is many rings old. Red is the neighborhood "wishtree"―people write their wishes on pieces of cloth and tie them to Red's branches. Along with a crow named Bongo and other animals who seek refuge in Red's hollows, this wishtree watches over the neighborhood. You might say Red has seen it all. Until a new family moves in. Not everyone is welcoming, and...

The author introduces the concept of race as only one component in an individual's or nation's "story."