Hi everyone, this next read moved me in many ways. It tells the story of one young girl’s journey through the depths of middle school as she struggles with her dyslexia and finds a way to accept herself as others see her. I hope this read touches you the way it did me…
Title: Fish in a tree
Author: Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Genre: Fiction – contemporary
Publication details: Nancy Paulsen Books; NY, 2015
ISBN: 9780399162596 (Hardcover)
What this book is about: Every time Ally lands in a new school, she is smart enough to hide her inability to read by making disruptive distractions. She’s tired of being called “slow” and “loser,” but she’s scared to ask for help. However, Ally’s newest teacher sees the bright, creative kid beneath the troublemaker and helps to shine a light on her gifts. Meanwhile, Ally finds herself making friends with two unlikely kids in Keisha and Albert. The three stand against the others who are not so kind. As the outsiders begin to fit in, surprising things begin to happen in Ally’s classroom that shows her there’s a lot more to her – and to everyone – than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.
My review: This book took me a while to get into but once I did, I couldn’t stop. It had me hooked and the story moved me to tears in some chapters! I really enjoyed getting to know Ally, Keisha and Albert and the school scenes were expertly described. As someone who believes in the power of a good teacher I thought Ally’s teacher Mr Daniels was truly a great one. To have picked up the signs of her dyslexia and help her with dealing with his different methods of teaching were quite interesting for me. I liked how Hunt has taken this adorable coming-of-age read and given us readers not just an insight into teaching dyslexic children but showed us how unique they are. A really good story showcasing kindness and acceptance of all abilities!!
My rating: 4 ⭐
Additional notes: This title has won the Schneider Family Book Award for Middle School in 2016 and was nominated for the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award, the Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award and the Keystone to Reading Book Award for Intermediate in 2017 among others.
Miss Mahee's Library of Reads 