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booknerd_'s review
4.0
I had to read this for school and wasn’t expecting to like it but it was actually pretty good!!
ozshark's review
5.0
I don't normally write long reviews, but this book got me thinking, so either stop reading now...or strap yourselves in!
This was a fantastic and thought provoking book. It is one of those books that I would like all students (and adults too) to read. It may give some empathy and may let others know that here is someone who feels some of the same frustrations that they do.
I have met a few students like Ally, who are intelligent and sometimes have good comprehension, but for whatever reason can't get their thoughts down onto the page. In Ally's case, it is because she can't read (due to a form of dyslexia), but for others reading isn't the issue. I love the description "I don't know why the things in my head get lost on the way down my arm."
One of the interesting things for me is how labelled Ally feels. Because she is a "slow reader" and has teachers labelling her with that, she feels that is her identity. She knows there is more to her, but that others don't see it.
So on one hand, she knows there is more to her, but on the other, she finds it hard to accept that she is not dumb; that just because she is dyslexic, doesn't mean she is dumb. For most of the book Ally doesn't know she is dyslexic, she just knows she is different to everyone else.
One of the frustrations I had with Ally's character is that she doesn't talk enough, doesn't explain why she does things or what she is feeling. This means her friends and the adults in her life are unable to help because they don't understand what is happening. I felt similarly about Aza from [b:Turtles All the Way Down|35504431|Turtles All the Way Down|John Green|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1503002776s/35504431.jpg|21576687], who suffered anxiety and couldn't explain what was in her head. This is frustrating for me as a reader, but I am sure is also accurate to what people like Ally & Aza are experiencing themselves. I certainly have had many students who would rather say that "nothing" is wrong, or "it doesn't matter" than explain the problem. People dealing with learning difficulties and mental illness may just want to fit in, like Ally, and so not explain what they are thinking for fear it will expose just how different they are. Or, they just can't find the words to explain what is the matter, what just happened, "I don't know what to say. Such a small question and such a giant answer."
Ally also misinterprets when people are trying to be helpful. For example, when her teacher leaves some differentiated work for her with a casual (or sub), Ally is offended because her differences become obvious and pointed out. This is one of the tricky things about differentiating as a teacher. Students need differentiated work, but they don't like it to be obvious that they have it. This is particularly difficult when you have a third party involved (casual or RFF teacher), who doesn't understand the full details of the situation.
I liked that these "misfits" found each other in the book - I have been there and done that! - although all too often the student does struggle on alone, without anyone understanding where they are coming from. At times, they also self-sabotage or lack the social skills to let anyone be a friend. I thought the character of Albert was interesting, but spoke a little too much like Spock. All I could visualise when he was speaking was Leonard Nimoy and his pointy ears! While it worked for his character development, I was disappointed the resolution of his bullying was the old "stand up for yourself & hit the bullies back."
The title of the book comes from Einstein's quote: "Everyone is smart in different ways. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid." You could argue about the wording of the first sentence, but the second is a good reminder that we are all different, with different gifts and we shouldn't all be judged on the same criteria. Consequently, this is a poster I keep on my classroom wall & talk about with my students each year. I think I may have found from this novel two new quotes to add to my wall, "I am having trouble is not the same as I can't." and "Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is ask for help." Our school focus has been on resilience for the past few years and some students definitely need help with "grit".
An excellent book, worth reading.
This was a fantastic and thought provoking book. It is one of those books that I would like all students (and adults too) to read. It may give some empathy and may let others know that here is someone who feels some of the same frustrations that they do.
I have met a few students like Ally, who are intelligent and sometimes have good comprehension, but for whatever reason can't get their thoughts down onto the page. In Ally's case, it is because she can't read (due to a form of dyslexia), but for others reading isn't the issue. I love the description "I don't know why the things in my head get lost on the way down my arm."
One of the interesting things for me is how labelled Ally feels. Because she is a "slow reader" and has teachers labelling her with that, she feels that is her identity. She knows there is more to her, but that others don't see it.
"And then I think that if someone hung a sign on me that said anything, having that sign there wouldn’t make it so. But people have been calling me “slow” forever. Right in front of me as if I’m too dumb to know what they’re talking about. People act like the words “slow reader” tell them everything that’s inside. Like I’m a can of soup and they can just read the list of ingredients and know everything about me. There’s lots of stuff about the soup inside that they can’t put on a label, like how it smells and tastes and makes you feel warm when you eat it. There’s got to be more to me than just a kid who can’t read well.”
So on one hand, she knows there is more to her, but on the other, she finds it hard to accept that she is not dumb; that just because she is dyslexic, doesn't mean she is dumb. For most of the book Ally doesn't know she is dyslexic, she just knows she is different to everyone else.
One of the frustrations I had with Ally's character is that she doesn't talk enough, doesn't explain why she does things or what she is feeling. This means her friends and the adults in her life are unable to help because they don't understand what is happening. I felt similarly about Aza from [b:Turtles All the Way Down|35504431|Turtles All the Way Down|John Green|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1503002776s/35504431.jpg|21576687], who suffered anxiety and couldn't explain what was in her head. This is frustrating for me as a reader, but I am sure is also accurate to what people like Ally & Aza are experiencing themselves. I certainly have had many students who would rather say that "nothing" is wrong, or "it doesn't matter" than explain the problem. People dealing with learning difficulties and mental illness may just want to fit in, like Ally, and so not explain what they are thinking for fear it will expose just how different they are. Or, they just can't find the words to explain what is the matter, what just happened, "I don't know what to say. Such a small question and such a giant answer."
Ally also misinterprets when people are trying to be helpful. For example, when her teacher leaves some differentiated work for her with a casual (or sub), Ally is offended because her differences become obvious and pointed out. This is one of the tricky things about differentiating as a teacher. Students need differentiated work, but they don't like it to be obvious that they have it. This is particularly difficult when you have a third party involved (casual or RFF teacher), who doesn't understand the full details of the situation.
I liked that these "misfits" found each other in the book - I have been there and done that! - although all too often the student does struggle on alone, without anyone understanding where they are coming from. At times, they also self-sabotage or lack the social skills to let anyone be a friend. I thought the character of Albert was interesting, but spoke a little too much like Spock. All I could visualise when he was speaking was Leonard Nimoy and his pointy ears! While it worked for his character development, I was disappointed the resolution of his bullying was the old "stand up for yourself & hit the bullies back."
The title of the book comes from Einstein's quote: "Everyone is smart in different ways. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid." You could argue about the wording of the first sentence, but the second is a good reminder that we are all different, with different gifts and we shouldn't all be judged on the same criteria. Consequently, this is a poster I keep on my classroom wall & talk about with my students each year. I think I may have found from this novel two new quotes to add to my wall, "I am having trouble is not the same as I can't." and "Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is ask for help." Our school focus has been on resilience for the past few years and some students definitely need help with "grit".
An excellent book, worth reading.
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