Fish in a Tree

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”  One of my colleagues has this anonymous quote hanging in her classroom.  It is the core theme of this novel about a young girl with dyslexia who struggles in school.  She thinks she is dumb.  She believes the bullies and mean kids who make fun of her...until a new teacher comes along and shows her that she has limitations, yes.  But those can be overcome, and she has more gifts to give.  Linda Mullaly Hunt, author of One For the Murphys, wrote this terrific story of hope and kindness.  (FIC MAL)

The Fourteenth Goldfish

I loved this big-kid fiction story writte by Jennifer Holm (FIC HOL). Many students will recognize her from her graphic novel series, Babymouse.  This was sweet story about an eleven-yr-old girl named Ellie whose grandfather has discovered a cure for aging.  His new young body is great, but he can't get back into his lab to get the secret ingredient that allowed him to do it and will make him famous.  Ellie wants to help and is fascinated with the science her grandfather loves so much.  But, she soon starts to question whether or not one should invent breakthroughs that could alter the world so much and mess with the cycle of life.