Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Sixth grader Ally is a whiz at math, a terrific little artist, and has a priceless imagination, but she can't read. She has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people, including her teachers, the school principal, and even her parents. . Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions that usually land her in the principal's office.

However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to everyone than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.

Kudos to Hunt, the characters were all so well written and the story line was so heart warming. Dyslexia is such a horrible thing, that is hard to fully understand if you haven't experienced it yourself. I have watched loved ones struggle with it but ready Ally's story was like experiencing it firsthand. What a gift being able to and love reading has been. This story also highlights the importance of good teachers and all the hard work they put into their students. This would be a great book for anyone struggling with reading difficulties or issues with confidence. I highly recommed the audio book, check it out on the library's Overdrive page. 

By SamanthaN on May 30, 2020