Fish in a Tree

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Entertaining dialogue . . . Ally’s descriptions of her ‘mind movies’ are creative and witty. . . . The treatment of a group of sixth-graders with various quirks who face down their bullies extends the book’s interest beyond the immediate focus on dyslexia.” — The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Mr. Daniels announces that he created a poetry competition and names Ally the winner. Though she's initially happy, she soon realizes it's a pity award and runs out of the room, humiliated. Keisha gives Ally a pep talk and says it's silly to want to fit in. Guess what! There's a bully! And she's prissy! And there's a robotically intelligent science geek! And he gets beaten up! By different bullies! And there's a Japanese girl named Suki who speaks in broken caveman-English (ugh). torture. But it would really help me out with the projects I have going on for my degree. You’d be doing me a huge favor. And I’d be so grateful, Ally.” He leans forward. “So?” I swallow hard. I’mnot dumb. I know I’mnot doing hima favor as a much as he’s doing me one. And I can’t believe or imagine what I’ve done to deserve help like this. Stay after school? I’d sleep at school if it would help. I nod. And we shake on it. And he looks kind of dopey and happy. I shift in my seat again. “But can I ask a question?” “Sure!” “What are ‘learning differences’?” “Oh! Okay . . .” He thinks. “When you ride your bike home, is there more than one way to go?” “Yeah.” “I thought so,” he says. “Well, just like there are different ways for you to get home, Ally, there are different ways for information to reach the brain. You have five senses, right? Taste, smell, sight, hearing, and touch.” I nod. “So, what if an alien landed in a spaceship and you had to explain what the word frozen means without using the sense of touch? What if you had to use just words? I think that would be hard. Do you?” “Yeah . . . it would.” “I think you’ve had some trouble learning words with just your eyes. We are going to incorporate more of your senses to practice letters and sounds. And I want you to relax about it. We’ll have fun. I won’t give homework on this. No tests to study for or anything like that, okay?” I nod. “Have you liked playing chess?” I nod, hoping we can play today. “You know, I had a feeling you would be good at it. I think your mind learns in pictures, and it helps you be a really good chess player. We’ve played several times now and you have learned it fast and improved a lot without much time. Also, thinking in pictures?” He leans forward. “It’s one of the reasons you are such a good artist.” “Okay,” I say, thinking this all sounds good so far. The only thing that worries me is that it won’t work. I still won’t be able to read. “Good, then,” he says. “We’re going to practice writing letters. But we won’t use paper and pencil.” Then he pulls out a huge metal sheet and hands me a bottle of shaving cream. “We’re going to use this, and by writing in shaving cream, you’ll use sight and touch, and write large enough to use your whole arm. Just more ways for the signals to get delivered to your amazing brain.” I smile. “Now, fill that giant sheet with foamand let’s get started.” As I draw my finger through the gooey cream, I think about the words “learning

CHAPTER 31 Lots of Ways Home “So, did your mom tell you that we talked?” Mr. Daniels asks. “Yeah.” I take a long breath, noticing that I can feel my own heart beating. “I have to talk to you about something.” This doesn’t sound good. “I need your help.” “You need my help?” “Yes, I do. You know how Miss Kessler gave you those tests?” “Yeah.” “Well, it appears you do have dyslexia, which, like I said, makes learning to read difficult, but doesn’t mean you’re not bright. In fact,” he says, half smiling like Travis, “you’re very bright, Ally. The tests show that, too.” I shift in my seat. “But you will need some help with learning to read better, and we’re going to get it for you. Thing is, it might take a little time. Sometimes the paperwork and meetings around that take a while.” “Okay . . .” “You know how I said we can’t play chess on Tuesday or Thursday? Well, that’s because I’mtaking classes to get a degree in special education. Basically, it’s a degree to help me help kids like you. Kids who are smart but have learning differences.” Smart? Learning differences? “So I spoke with Mrs. Silver and Miss Kessler.” He leans forward. “And your mom, of course. And we were thinking that I could help you after school a couple times a week. Until we can get you into formal services here at school.” I open my mouth, but he holds up his hands. “I know. Staying after school with me will be torture. But it would really help me out with the projects I have going on for my degree. I personally am taking nothing from anything raised here and funds will be dispersed directly to associated band and crew members who have been struggling financially this year with little or no work outside the live music industry. word uncouth even means. Do you?” “I know what uncouth means,” Albert says. “I know something else, too. Only an uncouth person would wear snail snot.” She looks at us like we’re wearing it. “You say purple is the color of royals,” he says. “They only wore purple because it was the most difficult and expensive color to make. In medieval times, they needed to collect three thousand Murex brandaris snails to have enough slime to make one cloak. So, good for you. I’d prefer beige.” He turns to me. “What about you, Ally? Slime or beige?” “Oh, I’d have to go for beige.” I try not to smile, as much as I want to, and I try to keep my voice fromsounding as happy as it is, because the look on Shay’s face when she looks down at her new sweater, like she is actually covered in snail slime, is pretty unforgettable.I decided that I didn't want to release it as an official live album but to use it in a very different way. This Lemon Tree gig is available to stream free of charge on soundcloud and all I ask is that if you're moved enough by the show that you make a small donation at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/fishycircus I don’t get it. She always let me slide. It must be because these are for the new teacher and she can’t have one missing. As a whole, the book was very sweet and touching. It's probably not going to win an award for most brilliant writing or plot, but that doesn't mean it's not great. The story is simple but heartfelt. These powerful and uplifting books offer valuable life lessons. They encourage readers to recognize their unique strengths and celebrate diversity in all forms.

Great concert, so glad it was recorded, at least one great live album has come out of 2020 2020-12-04T16:26:13Z Comment by the turtle project I hope every reader takes the time to read this book. . . .it may be aimed at juveniles (don’t like that label!) but I know more grown-ups than kids that could do with this author’s fantastic message: we all learn (read / think / behave) differently. We need to investigate and accommodate all modes of learning to enable success. It would be refreshing to read a book about a career teacher who has been reaching out and helping kids for a career, and not just for a semester. And,” she says. “All that doodling of yours, Ally. If you weren’t drawing all the time, your work might be done. Please put it away.”

Fish is a legend, the greatest Poet, and what a presence, Marillion were at their best with Fish at helm. fantastic gig, much gratitude to who posted this epic. 2023-02-15T00:22:44Z Comment by Donald Carron 1 Every chapter is like a new rule, as these little rules. Cynthia writes to her brother to understand basic life things. They’re cute, and some of them are suitable life lessons for her as well.

I stare at her big stomach. “So, did you decide what you were going to name the baby?” I ask. Last week we got her talking about baby names for a full half hour of social studies. Poignant. . . . Emphasis on ‘thinking outside the box’ . . . Ally’s new friendships are satisfying, as are the recognition of her dyslexia and her renewed determination to read. Fans of R.J. Palacio’s Wonder will appreciate this feel-good story of friendship and unconventional smarts.” I think it would be easier to be invisible.” “Why?” I shrug. I want to give himan answer, but I have both too many words and not enough. He nods slowly. “Well,” he says. “I’mglad you’re not invisible, Ally. Because this class wouldn’t be the same without you.” I don’t believe him, but it makes me happy he said it. I realize looking at himthat, all this time, I haven’t been looking teachers in the face. I’ve been staring into their stomachs while I sit at my desk and they tell me the things that are wrong with me. But now, on top of all those other big wishes that I carry around, I have one more. I want to impress Mr. Daniels. With every tiny little piece of myself, I just want himto like me. The other thing is that I couldn't buy the idea of a sixth-grader whose reading difficulties is clearly visible to anyone who worked in a nursery and not observed by any kind of whatsoever an educator along all her six school years. So glad this was recorded, I was due to be at the Wolverhampton gig. Brilliant gig, thank you so much for this, all of this over the years. Maybe one more time in person, someday, somewhere... 2020-12-05T10:40:23Z Comment by Bill SaundersScientists were startled last month when they discovered that mangrove killifish, a fish native to Florida, Central America and the Caribbean, spend weeks of the year living in the rotten branches of trees, fully out of the water. The fish typically live in pools of water made by the roots of mangrove trees. When those pools dry up, however, the fish "flop their way" into rotten branches, using tunnels dug out by insects. There they... The Company still gives me goosebumps when played live! ❤ 2020-12-05T20:40:20Z Comment by Peter Spence I tap my pencil, thinking about how we had to dress up as our favorite book character for Halloween last week. I came as Alice in Wonderland, from the book my grandpa read to me a ton of times. Shay and her shadow, Jessica, called me Alice in Blunderland all day.

As I draw my finger through the gooey cream, I think about the words “learning differences.” And I’mfilled with fear and happiness and questions. But I’mmostly filled with hope. As the book goes on... we see Ally develop more confidence, make more friends, read better, and develop deeper understanding & empathy for those who were mean to her.

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It's extremely hard for me to review this book objectively because it has a lot of personal meaning for me. Melody could think, and that was a powerful moment in the book because the author perfectly discussed the issue that we are facing with people seeing others only for their disability and not for who they are as a whole. It was a truthful and beautifully written story about a girl who wanted to go to school and learn to the best of her ability. This book is very evident about it, and it talks about it and all the challenges. When we get into the car, Travis says, “Did you see how that guy in there took me for a fool? Trying to rip me off. Remember, Ally. When people have low expectations of you, you can sometimes use it to your advantage.” Then he looks me right in the eyes and points at my nose. “As long as you don’t have low expectations of yourself. You hear?” I nod again. But I think to myself that it’s hard not to these days.