Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly

 

1. The title of the story, Fish in a Tree, reflects Albert Einstein’s quotation: “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.” What is your
interpretation of this quote? How do you think it relates to Ally’s life?
2. How would you describe Ally as a person in the first few chapters of the book? What about the final few
chapters? Has she changed significantly? Are there any experiences or episodes during the story that you
think had a particular effect on her? If so, how?
3. Discuss the friendship between Ally, Albert, and Keisha. How does their friendship benefit each one of
them?
4. What role does Mr. Daniels play in Ally’s development during the story? How is he different from her
previous teachers in his approach to teaching and how does this transform Ally’s understandings of herself as
a learner? Share specific examples of things he does to encourage and motivate her?
5. Read more about author Lynda Mullaly Hunt and why she wrote this story
https://www.lyndamullalyhunt.com/for-teachers/. Why is this book so important to her? How might others with
dyslexia feel about the book/react to it?
6. What did you think of this novel? Was it enlightening for you as an adult? Do you think it will help impact how
middle school students grow up thinking about individuals with disabilities? Do you think middle school is too
late, too early, just the right time to introduce this topic?

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