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What Members Thought
This book will be a sure hit with teachers. Kids will likely recognize classmates in the realistic classroom. Great message about grit and celebrating differences.
This is the best juvenile chapter book I've read all year. It's such a great progression from failure to success with the right guidance. I found myself laughing at the clever and witty dialogue between these likable characters.
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Some annoyances prevented me from really enjoying this book, though I liked the main character. The students were fairly stereotypical, and the bullying resolution was only believable to an adult who hasn't been in sixth grade for a very long time.
The thing that bugged me the most was the fact that Ally got to sixth grade without being diagnosed with dyslexia, in spite of the fact that her brother also had it. Schools these days are all about intervention. I started to wonder if this had been se ...more
The thing that bugged me the most was the fact that Ally got to sixth grade without being diagnosed with dyslexia, in spite of the fact that her brother also had it. Schools these days are all about intervention. I started to wonder if this had been se ...more
Read this ARC in one day! Ally's voice and lessons I learned will stay with me for along time. Mr. Daniels reminds me of several important lessons as the new year gets ready to start.
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Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt is a book with a teacher's heart! Turn the "impossible to possible" with this story. Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVhWz...
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Grades 4-7. Ally is not a stranger to trouble. She may spend more time in the principals office than the classroom. She has a bad attitude and mouths off to her teacher. Other kids make snide comments and she doesn't have any friends.
All that changes when Mr Daniels, a substitute teacher, brings new perspectives. He discovers Ally's secret and addresses unkind classroom behaviors.
An important book like Absolutely Almost that teaches compassion and reassures us that everyone learns differently a ...more
All that changes when Mr Daniels, a substitute teacher, brings new perspectives. He discovers Ally's secret and addresses unkind classroom behaviors.
An important book like Absolutely Almost that teaches compassion and reassures us that everyone learns differently a ...more
Excellent realistic school story about a girl with un-diagnosed dyslexia who thinks she's stupid and doesn't want anyone to know she can't read. Really great secondary characters.
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I love the cover and the interesting title that conveys how Ally feels. Ally's character is fully developed and has an authentic voice. However, the supporting cast of characters felt like stereotypes and it was sad to see such a large group of non-supportive teachers. Ally is a character to root for and with themes of bullying, friendship and learning differences, this will be a popular classroom read aloud that I will recommend to my teachers.
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This hit a lot of the same buttons as Wonder, Out of My Mind, and other stories that help you empathize with someone else's life and struggles - or provide a mirror for people who don't see themselves in books that often. But that element was a bit distracting as an adult reader, the didactic element, so my actual enjoyment was more like 3 stars. Solid, but not a personal favorite.
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Ally is in fifth grade and hates school. She can't read or write. Her teachers tell her she should try harder. She will do anything to avoid writing, which often lands her in the principal's office. That all changes when she gets a new teacher.
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There aren't enough books that close with such hope. Loved this.
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May 31, 2015
Monica Edinger
added it
