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A review by kitsuneheart
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
4.0
People are different. But Ally doesn't know the full truth of that. She's always thought she was the only one who couldn't follow the dancing letters on the page. How do they do it, reading without getting lost or suffering terrible headaches? maybe her classmates are right, and she is just...stupid.
But when Ally gets a new teacher who takes a closer look at Ally's problems and skills, she is given a little hope that this problem she has with reading might not only be solvable, but could be normal! With the help of new friends, her teacher, and her family, Ally finds that she might be able to make it work.
Luckily, if you have your own problems with reading, there is an audiobook version out there, which is what I listened to. It was fine, nothing award-winning, but well-acted and edited.
Overall, a good book. Not only does it look at Ally's problems, but also those of her friend Albert, whose parents are quite poor. I imagine some parents and educators would decry the ending, where Albert finally pushes back at some bullies who have been bruising him throughout the book, but it was framed as a "last resort" retaliation, not revenge.
If you know a child who is having problems in school, this might be a good pick. The emphasis on everyone having their own talents and skills could be encouraging, though perhaps be careful on giving a book to a kid with dyslexia, even if it's about overcoming dyslexia. Hard line to walk, there.
But when Ally gets a new teacher who takes a closer look at Ally's problems and skills, she is given a little hope that this problem she has with reading might not only be solvable, but could be normal! With the help of new friends, her teacher, and her family, Ally finds that she might be able to make it work.
Luckily, if you have your own problems with reading, there is an audiobook version out there, which is what I listened to. It was fine, nothing award-winning, but well-acted and edited.
Overall, a good book. Not only does it look at Ally's problems, but also those of her friend Albert, whose parents are quite poor. I imagine some parents and educators would decry the ending, where Albert finally pushes back at some bullies who have been bruising him throughout the book, but it was framed as a "last resort" retaliation, not revenge.
If you know a child who is having problems in school, this might be a good pick. The emphasis on everyone having their own talents and skills could be encouraging, though perhaps be careful on giving a book to a kid with dyslexia, even if it's about overcoming dyslexia. Hard line to walk, there.