jimebookjourney-18

[jimebookjourney-18]

Thanks for your attention and for accompanying me on this beautiful journey! Remember that we all are steel pennies, we can bring hope and we are unique!

In a world of monkeys climbing up on trees, being a fish ment to swim in the Ocean is not that bad! Be unique and be your own kind of genius 𓆡♥︎

Image credits: me :)

[jimebookjourney-18]

Reflective essay

A fish in the ocean

I can't explain how much I loved this book. I regret that I haven't read it before, is so interesting and easy to follow. I found it relevant because of its beautiful message of uniqueness, self-aceptance and that impossible can always turn into possible.

At first we are introduced to Ally as a troublemaker who can't read. She has no friends on school, and that makes her know what the difference between lonely and alone is. The teachers don't know what to do with her, and she thinks that no one will ever be able to help her. Until Mr. Daniels arrives and shows her that she has a solution. We finally by the end of the book seeing Ally with friends, with more confidence on herself, and making the impossible, possible. She finally gets to read, but already knows she is much more than just words in a piece of paper.

Ally was a fish in a world full of monkeys, judging her for not being able to climb on trees like they do. They wanted for her to be just like them. But she is not. She is a fish, a cute, smart, creative and curious little fish, who is just descovering the huge blue ocean. She is a reminder to all those kids feeling lost in school for not being good at subjects like maths, or science. For those who focuses only on their weaknesses, instead of improving their strengths. For those who compares themselves with their classmates that have good grades, thinking they are dumb and feeling judge about it. To remember them they're not the problem, and they are not dumb or stupid. In fact, they are geniuses at their own abilities and strengths.

Ally is an example of how a person that has difficulties read is still a genius, because at the end of the day, intelligence is not measured by good grades or knowing math, you are not a genius for those, you are a genius from your own abilities and things you are good at. We may suck at maths, but be good at writing, and that's okay, we are still geniuses and probably be great writers in the future.

We all are good at something that probably the other person is not. We all are geniuses or have the power to be in our own way. This book is a reminder to us to stop comparing ourselves to others and start focusing on our own superpower. We are special. We are fishes looking for the Ocean, the place we're we belong.

Last but not least, I want to leave this reminder. Nothing is impossible, even when you believe it is. The fact is, we made it impossible by believing in its impossibility. So, to make it possible, we have to believe in its possibilities.

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[jimebookjourney-18]

Fifth entry (chapters 28-34)

A Fish in a Tree

After Shay said Ally was a dumb person, Mr. Daniels told Ally she was actually the opposite, she was very clever. So, Ally finally told someone (Mr. Daniels) her "secret", the why she thinks Shay was right. She told him that she can't read. But Mr. Daniels already knew that, and explained to her that she might have dyslexia and that can be treated.

This quote from Albert Einstein has become one of my favorites right now. Is the quote Mr. Daniels tells to Ally, and I think is the most important message of this book.

We are used to live in a world where knowing maths, reading a lot, solving equations, and having the best grades at school, is the only important thing to be considered a genius. However, I think that idea is totally wrong. Besides the 12 or 7 types of intelligence (that yes! It really has a point in here) we all can be geniuses.

"If you judge a fish by it's ability to climb a tree, it will live his whole life believing that it is stupid" If you judge a painter by it's ability to paly basketball, it will live his whole life thinking is worthless. If you judge a writer by it's ability to do mathematics, it will live his whole life believing he is dumb or stupid. And so it goes with dancers and scientists, historians and actors, musicians and speakers. The point is, we grew up thinking in only one way of being smart, when in reality there are a lot of things we are smarter at. If you put an artist in a basketball class, of course it would suck at it, and if you judge him by it, he would feel useless. But, if you put him on an art class, it would happen quite the opposite.

We all are smart in different ways, we all operate in different areas, we are all different and cannot be judge on a single characteristic and area. If we do that, I'll be like you are lowering the person and ignoring his narural talents and abilities.

Ally is a smart kid. She express herself really good, has a huge imagination, is good at maths and has a leader potential. They by judging her for not being able to read, one skill that she doesn't have, they are ignoring all this skills that she actually has.

We all are steel pennys, unique, magical and important, and that's because who we are and how we get to be our own kind of genius. I think this "all of us are different and smart in our own way" is the message of this book. And I love it. 𓆡⇢★ッ

The pin/image is from here:

[jimebookjourney-18]

Fourth entry (chapters 21-27)

"Alone" and "lonely"

In the last chapters it was nice reading how Ally is having a nice time with her friends. She is so lucky to have found such good friends like Keisha and Albert.

In chapter 23, the teacher asked Ally to explain the difference between "lonely" and "alone" and I realize I haven't thought about it that much.

Her answer for alone was,

"Well.. alone is a way to be. It's being by yourself with no one else around. And it can be good or bad. And it can be a choice. When my mom and brother are both working, I'm alone, but I don't mind it."

And for lonely,

"But being lonely is never a choice. It's not about who is with you or not. You can feel lonely when you're alone, but the worst kind of lonely is when you're in a room full of people, but you're still alone. Or you feel like you are, anyways."

I felt a little touched about her answer, remembering how I felt in school. But mostly, I felt touched for her. Ally is a good child, but she was lonely almost her whole life (in school) she had no friends at all and thought she'll never had some. I feel that this lonliness is what made her feel that she isn't good enough and there's something wrong with her. Maybe that's why she didn't wanted to accept her poem's prize, because she thought It was not her prize. That the teacher was just trying to be nice.

I think most of us have felt this way some time in our lives and that we were the problem. But it isn't always us, sometimes it's the place. Maybe it's not where we belong or they're not the right people for us. It's hard, yes. It can be sad, too. But just like Albert, Keisha and the new teacher showed up in Ally's life. There will always be someone, right for us, who is there or will show up sooner or later. And just like they saw all the potential and all the amazing cualities in Ally, we (+ Ally) should see it too. Because we all have our inner magic, our inner light, which is capable of lighting a whole room. Sometimes there's nothing wrong with us, but on how we see us. Ally needs to know her potential, her light, once she does that she'll be unstoppable. 𓆡✨

You are unique, you are a steel penny. Keep on shining.⊹★～♥︎⊹

Btw, this is me with Albert

I want a friend like him :(

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Account name: Tracie O'Hara

[jimebookjourney-18]

Third entry (chapter 11-20)

Imagination & Creativity

These chapters have been like a bandage to my heart ❤️‍🩹. It's so beautiful seeing how Ally is finally making some real friends. :')

Albert from the beginning seemed to me like an interesting character. I find funny how he is always wondering and analyzing random ideas. And, doesn't care for material nor mundane things. Keisha in the other hand, caught my interest in how she is always defending the innocent. I admire her courage. I think she is the kind of friend Ally needs (that everyone needs actually).

The box exercise that they did in class on chapter 14, have reaffirmed my conclusion on Ally's intelligence through her own imagination, plus her way to see the world in an unique way.

Since we we're kids, we've been told to give more importance on having the best scrores at school, be great at maths or physics, but, not so often, they told us to work on our own creativity. On exploring our unique ideas, because that would make us special. We have to know, that our knowledge is our strongest weapon. However, our imagination may be our greatest tool. Without it, we wouldn't be able to invent, to progress, to survive. Creativity and imagination are essential tools in our lives, that build our identity. I think that is one of Ally's strengths. And is an admirable one.

I hope to see how she develop this in the next chapters, because, finally (and thanks to her new teacher) they are showing Ally's strengths, showing her that she also has a value like any other. At the end of the day we can all be steel pennys ;)

I feel like this is Ally's power 𓆡～♡

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Second entry (chapter 5-10)

Steel pennys

The theme about silver dollars and wooden nickels surprised me. I think it is a really creative way to mention how your day was.

Silver dollar: If it was a great day

Wooden nickel: If it could it been better

I think I'm having a Silver dollar day :D

Ally's old brother seems really supportive with her, he is a great brother who likes seeing Ally happy. It makes me want to be like him with my little brother.

Her new teacher Mr. Daniels seems to try to help her. I hope he gets to know that she can't read. So he can do something about it. At the end of the day, if he doesn't do anything, the problem is going to get worse, and Ally will continue to think that she has no solution. Which is sad if this teacher just enters to the list of teachers who judge her, instead of trying to help her.

The steel penny seems to have a real importance to Ally. It's said that her father gave them to her and to her brother. In 1943, pennys were made of steel, because the government needed copper to make ammunitions during WWII. It's a reminder to Ally that she is unique. And a reminder of hope. Because, her dad was in the army, and before leaving he gave her the penny and told her that he will be back. So when she sees the penny, she will remind this promise.

I think we can all be steel pennys in this world. Because, we all are unique. We all have our inner magic, and the power to bring hope or support to the ones who need it.

So, remember you are a steel penny, and hope you have a silver dollar day :)✧～☆

Picture credits: Augusto Gaete Arenas

His ig: https://www.instagram.com/totget2424?igsh=MWhnOHVzZDM4aWJhcw==

He made this drawing for me :)

[jimebookjourney-18]

Me after reading chapter 4:

WHEN I CATCH YOU SHAY!! I knew that I would hate her. She bullied Ally again >:(

And it was sad seeing how her mom just want Ally to have some friends.

[jimebookjourney-18]

First entry (chapters 1-3)

First impression

Okay. So this book is definitely not about a Fish, but about a comparison of that Fish that wants to climb a tree, with Ally. Ally Nickerson is a girl in school, who can't read, she has difficulties to connect the letters while reading and writing.

At first I thought she was only a trouble maker, (because she didn't wanted to write an essay about her). But turns out, she doesn't want to be. She just got used to it, because, they will never understand her situation. And she don't expect them to do it.

Ally is definitely not popular on school. She has this classmate named Shay that makes fun of her all the time. (I'm really starting to hate her)

Although, is not only Shay who "dislikes" or make fun of Ally. But, most of her classmates. They seem to be "tired of her". Mentioned by the book on Chapter 1, page 3, "The rest of the class is getting tired of me again. Chairs slide. Loud sighs. Maybe they think I can't hear their words: Freak. Dumb. Loser." Is really sad reading this. Ally is not doing it on porouse, but of course they think she is. And that's just normal for her.

On Chapter 2 Ally gave a Yellow Card to Miss. Hall (her teacher). Miss Hall was having a baby shower and the whole class was invited, in order, to say "goodbye" to her. Ally wanted to apologize for the troubles she caused to her and gave her a card with yellow roses on it. However, the teacher wasn't very happy with that card. Cause turns out, it was a sympathy card, or "card for the dead" like she said. Ally didn't knew it was that kind of card. Because, she doesn't know how to read, and bought the card for the beautiful roses.

The point is. Ally is a good child, but with several problems and teachers who doesn't realize what is going on with her. She used to stay quiet while they're arguing with her, because, she is afraid to say something wrong and create more trouble. But not to mention, she believes no one can help her.

But I believe Ally might be a brilliant kid at something. Plus, she has a huge imagination.