Fish in a Tree

This one is for you if you’re: a teacher, a student, dyslexic, different, scared of failure, or have ever been bullied. It’s such a beautiful story of adolescence blossoming when there’s just that one person who cares enough to go the extra mile [be it a teacher, a church member, a parent, a family member, etc.]. In this case, that one person happens to be a substitute teacher who identifies this “troubled” student as dyslexic. Everyone else just wrote her off as “low performing” and a deviant.

This book spoke to me so deeply because it reminded me of my former students. I miss them so, so, so incredibly much I can’t explain it. I think about them and how they’re doing and what obstacles they’re facing and if they’re putting commas in their compound sentences. I also remember the tears, the smiles, the laughs, the hugs, and all the things that come along with being a teacher. There’s so much more to EVERY student than what you see on the surface. Finding those triggers and poignant pieces is the absolute key to being a successful teacher [in my little ole opinion].

The main character in this book is a vibrant young girl who finds her spark igniting thanks to a substitute teacher. He gives her the strength she needs to realize that she may be a fish in a tree, but that she can swim better than anyone around. A very fast, poignant read indeed.