Fish in a Tree

Author: Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Publisher: Puffin Books

Publication Year: 2017 (reprint edition)

ISBN-13: 978-0142426425

In Fish in a Tree, Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions.  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. 

In this example of realistic fiction, Lynda Mullaly Hunt does an excellent job making the situation and characters relateable. Readers have the opportunity to learn much from this book!

Awards

Schneider Family Book Award

SCBWI Crystal Kite Winner
ALSC Notable Book of 2016
New York Times Bestseller
Global Read Aloud choice, 2015
SLJ Best Book, 2015
ALSC Summer Reading List, 2016
SCBWI Summer Reading List, 2016

For the gifted student, especially any twice exceptional student, this book could ring very true. One of the best things about literature is the chance to live vicariously through the characters and feel as if you experience things with them just by reading it. This book provides students with the opportunity to work through feeling like they don't quite fit in.

This book makes another excellent choice for a book club. I found many ideas to use through the author's website here.