Fish in a Tree
- Genre: Fiction; middle grade contemporary realistic
- Originally Published: 2015
- Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 550L; grades 5-8
- Structure/Length: 51 chapters; approx. 320 pages; approx. 5 hours, 44 minutes on audio
- Protagonist and Central Conflict: Middle-schooler Ally has successfully avoided others discovering the extent of her difficulties with dyslexia—including her parents, teachers, and friends. Now, though, a teacher named Mr. Daniels in Ally’s new school tries to convince her that she is more capable of reading and writing tasks than she ever believed.
- Potential Sensitivity Issues: Learning differences; dyslexia; bullying; abuse
Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Author
- Bio: Born in 1960; youngest of five siblings; graduated high school in Connecticut; pursued early career as a teacher; enjoyed composing song lyrics to convey emotion, which segued to fiction writing; currently a writer of middle grade and young adult; also travels for school visits and presentations to writing groups; won the Tassy Walden Award for New Voices in Children's Literature for One for the Murphys (2012)
- Other Works: One for the Murphys (2012); Shouting at the Rain (2019)
- Awards: SCBWI Crystal Kite Winner; School Library Journal Best Book (2015); Global Read Aloud choice (2015); ALSC Notable Book (2016); SCBWI Summer Reading List (2016)
CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:
- The Advantages of Difference
- Persevering Through Struggles
- The Power of Words (and Speaking Up for Yourself)