Shelton Reads Together: "Wishtree" Puts Down Roots Across an Entire Community

Shelton Public Schools launches its first "One Book, One Community" program, inviting students, families, educators, and neighbors to read Katherine Applegate's beloved novel side by side and find the story reflected in a centuries-old oak just down the road.

SHELTON

4/9/20264 min read

What does it take to bring an entire community together? In Shelton, the answer turns out to be a book, a tree, and a shared belief that belonging is worth working for.

Shelton Public Schools, led by Superintendent Dr. Ken Saranich and Executive Director of Curriculum and Support Services Kristen Santilli, has launched "One Book, One Community" — a district-wide reading initiative centered on Wishtree, the Newbery Medal–winning author Katherine Applegate's story of an ancient oak tree named Red who has witnessed the best and worst of human nature over generations.

The program runs from early April through May 1, with students, families, library patrons, and community members all reading the same chapters on the same days.

For all information, visit their website: https://sites.google.com/sheltonpublicschools.org/onebookonecommunity-sheltonpub?

"Like the deep roots of a neighborhood tree, our community stands taller and grows more compassionate every time we take the time to listen, share our stories, and make room for everyone to belong."

Those words, which open the program's landing page, capture the spirit of the effort. Wishtree — narrated by Red, an oak who has seen colorful wishes tied to her branches and watched a neighborhood grapple with division and the need for true belonging — was chosen deliberately. Its themes of empathy, inclusion, and environmental stewardship make it a natural fit for a school community looking to build bridges across grade levels, backgrounds, and generations.

About the book and its author

Katherine Applegate is one of children's literature's most celebrated voices. She received the Newbery Medal in 2013 for The One and Only Ivan, inspired by a real gorilla, and is also widely known as the co-creator of the iconic Animorphs series. Her work returns again and again to themes of empathy, the resilience of the natural world, and the hope that young readers will look at life with more curiosity and compassion. Applegate even recorded a personal message to the Shelton community as part of the launch — a gesture that underlines just how community-minded this project has been from the start.

Community spotlight

Shelton's 200-Year-Old Oak — Life imitating literature

You don't have to look far for a real-life version of Red, the ancient oak at the heart of Wishtree.

Jones Family Farms, a pillar of the Shelton community and a sponsor of this very program, is home to a magnificent oak tree estimated to be 200 years old.

Terry Jones of Jones Family Farms recorded a special video spotlight on the tree, bringing the novel's central symbol literally to life for local readers. The tree, rooted long before Shelton became the city it is today, is a living reminder that some things in a community run deeper than any single generation.

Jones Family Farms, along with Terry and Christiana Jones, will also serve as guest readers on Day 6 of the reading calendar (April 20), reading chapters 18–21.

Watch Video of Shelton's 200 year old Oak by Terry Jones

Day 1 · Apr 6: Chapters 1–3 (pp. 1–12) Dr. Ken Saranich, Superintendent

Day 2 · Apr 7: Chapters 4–7 (pp. 13–26) Kristen Santilli, Curriculum Director

Day 3 · Apr 8: Chapters 8–10 (pp. 27–35) Jamie Weber, Elizabeth Shelton School

Day 4 · Apr 9: Chapters 11–14 (pp. 37–56) Joan Stokes, Shelton Library Director

Day 5 · Apr 10: Chapters 15–17 (pp. 57–71) Dina Marks, Booth Hill School

Apr 11–19: Spring Recess — Shelton Public Library activities available

Day 6 · Apr 20: Chapters 18–21 (pp. 73–94) Terry & Christiana Jones, Jones Family Farms ★

Day 7 · Apr 21: Chapters 22–24 (pp. 95–104) Andrea D'Aiuto, Long Hill School

Day 8 · Apr 22: Chapters 25–28 (pp. 105–122) Jenna Terrasi, Real Estate Two

Day 9 · Apr 23: Chapters 29–31 (pp. 123–132) Darla Franklin, Sunnyside School

Day 10 · Apr 24: Chapters 32–35 (pp. 133–144) Brock Gydus, SHS Student/Board Rep

Day 11 · Apr 27: Chapters 36–38 (pp. 145–152) John Coppola, Mohegan School

Day 12 · Apr 28: Chapters 39–42 (pp. 153–167) Stephanie Sanborn, SHS Student/Board Rep

Day 13 · Apr 29: Chapters 43–45 (pp. 169–183) Doug Cucchiarelli, Shelton Intermediate

Day 14 · Apr 30: Chapters 46–48 (pp. 185–195) Amy D'Amico, Perry Hill School

Day 15 · May 1: Chapters 49–51 (pp. 197–211) Kathy Riddle, Shelton High School

Library and adult education partnerships

The program has been coordinated in close partnership with the Shelton Public Library system — including both Plumb Memorial Library and the Huntington Branch — with special thanks extended to the Shelton Public Library Board for a generous donation supporting the initiative. During Spring Recess (April 11–19), the library is offering a full slate of activities for families to keep the momentum going.

Valley Regional Adult Education (VRAE), established in 1969 as Connecticut's first regional adult education agency, is also an educational partner. Based at the Richard O. Belden Cultural Center in Shelton and serving Ansonia, Derby, Monroe, Seymour, and Shelton, VRAE provides free ESL, citizenship preparation, GED pathways, and enrichment classes — making it a natural partner for a program built around inclusion and belonging.

Extension activities for families

The program doesn't end when the chapters do. Families are encouraged to explore a full set of extension resources, including activity guides from the author herself, Project Learning Tree connections, chapter book bingo, and family fun cards. All resources are available through the program's official landing page.

Community sponsors

This effort has been made possible by a broad coalition of community sponsors, reflecting just how widely Shelton has rallied around the idea of reading together.

Shelton's "One Book, One Community" is a reminder that a story — especially one about a tree that has quietly watched a neighborhood change for two centuries — can do something remarkable: give an entire community the same words, at the same moment, and see what grows from there.