Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt Summary
Overview of Fish in a Tree
Dyslexic Ally Nickerson's struggle becomes triumph in this New York Times bestseller, optioned for film and Broadway. Translated into 15 languages and winner of the ALA Schneider Award, "Fish in a Tree" proves what teachers have always known - great minds don't think alike.
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Key takeaways
Seeing Through Different Eyes: Ally's World of Dancing Letters
Imagine letters that dance across the page like mischievous black beetles, refusing to stay put long enough to form words. This is sixth-grader Ally Nickerson's reality. She's attended seven schools in seven years due to her father's military career, and at each one, she's perfected the art of hiding a painful secret: she can't read. Not because she doesn't want to, but because her undiagnosed dyslexia transforms text into an incomprehensible jumble. When asked to read aloud, panic sets in-her mind blanks, palms sweat, and shame washes over her. Years of being called "slow" and "dumb" have convinced Ally she's broken beyond repair. Yet beneath this struggle lies a brilliant mind that works in vivid images rather than words. Ally excels at spatial reasoning and has a remarkable memory for things she hears. She keeps a "Sketchbook of Impossible Things" filled with fantastical drawings that reveal her rich inner world. But in a school system that prizes reading above all else, Ally's unique gifts remain invisible-even to herself. "Everyone thinks if you don't learn the way they teach, then you can't learn," she reflects bitterly. The isolation is crushing; she keeps her difficulties secret from everyone, including her hardworking mother and mechanically gifted brother Travis. Some secrets feel too big to tell.
The Classroom Battlefield: Navigating Social Hierarchies
The Teacher Who Changed Everything: Mr. Daniels' Revolutionary Approach
Finding Your Tribe: The Power of True Friendship
Redefining Intelligence: Great Minds Don't Think Alike
The Courage to Be Seen: Ally's Journey to Self-Acceptance
Beyond the Page: The Ripple Effect of Understanding
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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