Fish in a Tree Paperback – March 28, 2017

Got this for my 4th grader and he is loving the story so far!

Hats Off! Lynda Mullaly Hunt for writing Fish in a Tree! It is engaging, serious, fun and may help others to focus on the possibilities of literacy for all.Fish in a Tree is a novel for young people. Moreover, it is a novel that would have real value for teachers and aspiring teachers. Plus, the parents of both children who learn differently and children who learn relatively normally could benefit from reading this story. The reason I think it has great value to be read by many audiences is because of the topic the author explores and the manner in which she presents it.This is a story of a sixth-grade girl, Ally, who is not able to read in any functional manner. It is also the story of her peer relationships, family relationships and relationships to school and school people. Those human relationships and the authentic glimpse of the struggle of one nonreader are at the core of this book.I was illiterate until I was eighteen. I learn differently than most. I am now sixty-seven and I have been a first and third grade teacher, an elementary principal, and a superintendent. I have earned a doctorate and have taught at the university level. I have some firsthand knowledge on this topic and my belief is that the ensuring that all students become literate cannot result from adopting a simple teaching method.Helping someone to learn who learn differently requires teachers, parents and others to embrace complexity. This novel conveys the complexities of who Ally is and what makes her unique. Moreover, as this novel points out very well - helping others to learn who learn differently requires that teachers, parents, and others see possibilities and help the nonreaders to see possibilities as well. Each learner must be connected with as a unique individual and be appreciated and respected for their current strengths. It takes teachers, parents and others who can see the positive future in the learner even if the learner may not see it. Then, of course, our focus is to help the learner to see how their own, maybe highly unique, path to literacy can be built.My path, like the paths of many others, to literacy has not been smooth. Learning to read at eighteen for me has meant that even today I am a slow, sometimes plodding reader that still stumbles as I strive for solid comprehension. Moreover, as an oral reader I am prone to skip and/or incorrectly pronounce words – my grandchildren have learned to gently correct me.Overall, I have learned to stick with the text and reread when I am missing the message. At sixty-seven, I am still learning to write – oh my am I pleased that spell check was invented. I stick with my writing, too. Rewriting and reworking until I am comfortable sharing. Being literate did not come easy to me and it is not smooth sailing, even now. The turning point for me and Ally was seeing that it was ‘possible’!Hats Off! Lynda’s book tells a story that can help others to see the possibilities of literacy for all.

For ten years, I led a book club for adult learners through Creek County Literacy. The adult students met with a tutor weekly. Once a month, tutors, students, and I would gather to discuss a book together. These adults were bright people who had struggled with reading and writing for a variety of reasons. At some point as adults, they had the courage to seek help. Admitting that they needed help was the first step toward becoming readers. Our book club meetings were joyful events that involved time together to talk about a book we had all read and to enjoy food together. What’s better than that?Recently, I read Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. Reading the book caused me to think back on the times I spent with the adult learners and our book club. In Fish in a Tree, Ally, an elementary student, is constantly in trouble. She practically has a seat with her name on it in the principal’s office. The problem is that Ally, bright and articulate and talented in math an art, cannot read or write well.Sadly, no one has realized what Ally’s problem is. When she is called upon to write in class or to read aloud, she acts out. She might draw wild circles on her desk with her pencil, thus annoying the teacher and getting her sent to the principal’s office yet again. But going to the principal’s office is a better alternative in Ally’s mind that having to read aloud and have the whole class make fun of her.Ally looks at the copy of Alice in Wonderland that her beloved grandfather has given her and the book he used to read to her. She thinks to herself: “It’s like having a gift that’s locked in a glass box.”When her regular teacher goes on maternity leave, Mr. Daniels steps in as the substitute. He is a breath of fresh air. He calls the students “my fantasticos!” At the end of the first day, Mr. Daniels tells Ally that he knows about her troubled past. He encourages her with these words: “I just want you to know that I’m going to try really hard not to send you to the office. If we have something to deal with, you and I will deal with together.”Before long, Mr. Daniels figures out Ally’s problem and begins helping her cope with the dyslexia that has been holding her back and causing her to act out in school. Along with her own problem, Ally faces Shay, the class bully, and her sidekick Jessica. But Ally find allies in Keisha and Albert, two other students who also face Shay’s meanness.Fish in a Tree is must-read book for parents and children, especially any children who are struggling with an issue in learning. It is an uplifting story of perseverance and the kindness and help from a teacher.Lynda Mullaly Hunt maintains a robust website where readers can find a wealth of material. The paperback version of the book I read also has discussion questions and “The Sketchbook of Impossible Things” much like the one Ally herself keeps.

Great read! Especially for a child who struggles with reading in school.

It was a pretty good book, it was interesting and i wanted to read more. The book was funny and the characters had good personalities.

My 11 year old son has read this book, such an inspiring story. The characters have been developed with so much thought and care.

As a dyslexia teacher, this was a great book to read with one of my students! He finished the curriculum I teach so this book was easy for him to read and gave us more to talk about. A GREAT STORY! Turning your biggest weakness into your greatest strength or super power!

Great read for preteens! This was a summer reading assignment.