Fish in a Tree

Disgruntled by her loss in the class election, Shay attempts to play a mean trick on Ally. She writes a fake love letter—supposedly from Max—and leaves it for Ally on her desk. Her plan backfires because Ally is unable to read the note and thus gives the letter back to Max, who explains that he didn’t write it.

Mr. Daniels calls Ally to his desk and asks her to read a short book. Empowered by her recent positive experiences, Ally is able to read the whole book successfully.

Mr. Daniels begins a unit on persuasive writing with an exercise that asks each student to choose what they would have if they could have “an unlimited amount of any single object” (218). Shay predictably chooses money. Albert chooses antibiotics. Oliver chooses tape. Mr. Daniels explains how their answers characterize their unique personalities and abilities.

Keisha and Ally make matching T-shirts—that read “Steel” and “Magnesium”—to wear with Albert’s “Flint” shirt. They explain to Albert that flint, steel, and magnesium work together to create fire. They then shout to Shay that if she teases Albert, she teases “all of us” (224).