I can definitely say i have mixed feelings about this book. I like the overall context and message of the book. its purpose to help children who may relate to the book is another big plus. however, the writing of this book seemed bland and non-engaging. i was not at any point excited or felt a need to turn the page and read more. There seemed to be too much writing in there when they could have gotten to the point quicker. While i love the relatability of the story, i feel like because of the wording and overall boring structure of the book, the children would lose interest rather quickly.

This is a good read for anyone that needs and uplifting story of a child approaching adversity, seeking reassurance, and getting the help that they need to confidently move forward. Hodge does a wonderful job helping the reader understand the discomfort and confusion of discovering things are not happening the way that they should. LIly and learning to read in grade two but when she she looks at the page:

"The letters dance and blur in from of her eyes. Her head pounds. She tries and tries, but she just can't read the words."

Lily is believable. She runs joyfully with the other children, plays tag, has a best friend, and paints wonderful pictures, but she gets a knot in her stomach when she thinks about reading out load. What a wonderful book to have in the classroom! Because she feels so behind and ashamed she hasn't made the people around her aware of what's going on and feels worthless. The quick transitions from the world of Art where Lily goes joyfully and the dancing world of printed words is well-done.

There will be many relatable moments for anxious learners, children hesitant to read-out-loud, or even those that enjoy teaching other friends. Who knows how Lily's dream of becoming an artist will go, but as a reader I feel confident that she will know how to approach challenges, work through them, and deliver even when it seems too daunting. The style of illustrations and the blocks of text would meet the needs of a child in elementary school. The cover is one of the more abstract and imaginative images and depicts Lily in the midst of imagining, rearranging, and learning. It's certainly an uplifting story. ( )

I enjoyed this book because it gives insight into how a child with dyslexia feels when reading. The book pushes readers to think about how they or their peers may feel when at school by using descriptive language to enhance the emotions in the story. While reading the book the audience can tell that Lily, who has dyslexia, feels scared, alone, and has no confidence while she reads. The characters are believable and engage the readers by helping them visualize what their peers may be struggling with or even helps them feel like they are not the only one who has difficulty reading. For example, the book states, “She likes the pictures but the words don’t make any sense. When she tries to sound them out, the letters dance and blur in front of her eyes.” This part of the book uses illustrations to explain to the readers who do not have dyslexia what the letters may look like for their friends with dyslexia. In addition, in the book Lily could not read very well and she had to practice, but her friend Grace could read well, but had to practice drawing. The big picture of this book is that everyone has strengths and weaknesses and if you are able to notice what they are then you can use your strengths to enhance your weaknesses by practicing them. Furthermore, this book encourages children to understand that if they are struggling with something to tell an adult who can provide them with the additional help they need. This will help them feel confident and comfortable in school when completing an activity that makes them nervous. This book provides hope to readers and shows anything is possible and they can overcome any challenge with practice. ( )

I liked this book for three main reasons. First, I liked how this story was accurate on how some students struggle in learning how to read. For example, Lily showed how she struggled reading in school without the teacher even knowing, until the mom brought the problem to the teacher’s attention. This shows us that many students struggle with reading in school every day and sometimes their struggle is ignored because nobody realizes their struggling. Second, I really liked how in the end of the story Lily never gave up when presenting her reading. For example, when Lily messed up a few times throughout her reading, she kept going like nothing ever happened. Third, I liked how the illustrations throughout this book was extremely life like, rather than a cartoon and was easy to relate too. The big idea of this story was to never give up on something that you struggle with, practice makes perfect. ( )

I really enjoyed this story for many reasons. The illustrations throughout the book really enhanced the feeling that the little girl in the story was feeling. Throughout the story Lily is very frustrated with the difficulty she has with reading. The illustrations seem to portray the feeling of confusion and frustration. The character of Lily was another reason why I enjoyed this story. She was a very well written character that many children could possibly relate to. The feelings and discouragement that Lily faces throughout the story is very common in kids learning to read. This story allows readers to think about the many issues that occur when you are first learning to read. Teachers give up on Lily and kids also make fun of her in class. Many students go through this everyday and this story relates and reaches out to those kids. ( )