Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly HuntMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really loved this MG story about a girl who can't read, because she has dyslexia (and it has gone undiagnosed). The strange thing is that this story has lots of flaws and errors, but it is so heartfelt that I overlooked them all.
In fact, until I sat down to really think about it, I didn't even realize how much of this story is a bit unrealistic in 2017. I was so caught up with the characters that I just accepted everything as fact and overlooked it all.
The things that are problematic include:
--This is not an accurate depiction of what middle school is like in 2017, though it did remind me a bit of my late elementary school years, which gave me the warm fuzzies. Since I taught middle school for 6 years, I think I can say that this does not accurately depict most middle school experiences, though I love how polished and hopeful it is. It's like the bright, shiny version of middle school that we all wish we could have attended and taught.
--There are a lot of errors regarding the military and military families, though since that is only a very minor part of the storyline in this book, I think that it could be overlooked for the most part. However, kids who read this who are from military families are going to notice and not feel very well represented.
--The depictions of bullying and how bullies are handled is not especially accurate, though I really do wish it would work that way.
--Some of the commentary on special education is also inaccurate, especially the suggestion that nothing will happen to help the child until all the paperwork is done and the meetings are held. Yes, the process can be long and drawn out, but as soon as teachers are aware of an issue or concern, they already start making accommodations and working to help the student address it and be successful, until something more official can be put into place. I know that the delay is important to the plotline, but it gives an inaccurate impression of the teaching community.
On the good side:
--The writing itself is flawless and emotional
--The characters are captivating
--The message is A+
--There's lots of emotional resonance
--I appreciate the awareness about not only dyslexia but just the different ways people think and learn in general
I confess, I really enjoyed this story, and I would recommend it to others, even despite the flaws. There's something that I really enjoy about this middle school world, even though it doesn't align with many of my experiences as a middle school teacher. It's almost like this story is the easier and more hopeful version of what school could actually be, and that makes me happy. But deep down, I know it's also a bit of a lie.
Pages: 288
