Mr. Rock spent the next few minutes describing what was going to happen in the Reading Gym. Each student was going to create a book that told the story of his or her life. We’d all have to write the book, illustrate the book, and then read the book to the group. And while we were making our life-story books, each of us would be working on our own individual learning issues like reading, writing, spelling, following directions, and so on.

Leave it to Mr. Rock to come up with a really interesting assignment like that. For a minute, I actually thought it was too bad I was going back to Tae Kwon Do and not staying in Reading Gym for the whole ten weeks. It sounded like fun. Of course, not as much fun as breaking a board with your bare hands. Once Principal Love got through the history of Tae Kwon Do and got into the actual kicking and board-breaking part, the class was going to really rock.

“Now,” Mr. Rock said, “how about we go around the room and have each of you say what is most difficult for you in school. That will help me figure out an individual strategy to help you. Let’s start at this end of the room. Hank, that’s you.”

Mr. Rock. What are you thinking? Can’t you see I’m working hard to impress Zoe? And you want me to confess that I can’t read, can’t spell, can’t do math, and can’t do well in anything at school except lunch?

“Well,” I said, trying to flash the old Zipzer grin. “I’m just here because I was doing the Tae Kwon Do class in the gym and I was getting tired of looking at the principal’s knees, so I thought I’d take a hike across the hall until we get to the fighting and punching and kicking stuff.”

“Hank,” Mr. Rock said. “I see you’re not ready to share your issues, and that’s okay. Let’s move on to the young lady sitting next to you. What is your name?”

“Zoe,” she said. “I go to PS 9 and I’m in the fifth grade, but I read at a third-grade level because I have tracking difficulties with my eyes.”

Wow. She just said it all, right out there. She didn’t care who knows that she reads at a third grade level. That girl was fearless.

“We can work on that,” Mr. Rock said. “Reading exercises will make your eye muscles stronger and help you track better.”

He gave her a big grin, and she smiled back at him. I wanted to be part of this smile fest. I stuck my hand up and waved it around urgently.

“Mr. Rock, can I go again?” I said. “I think I’m ready.”

“Sure, Hank,” he said. “I’m all ears.”

“My name is Hank Zipzer, I go to PS 87, and I’m in the fifth grade, too. I don’t what grade level I read at, but I can tell you it’s just above kindergarten. And I stink at spelling, and you can add math to that, too. I could wrap it up by saying I have learning challenges.”

Mr. Rock gave me a big smile.

“Excellent, Hank,” he said. “The first step in getting help is to acknowledge that you need help. There’s a lot we can accomplish in the Reading Gym.”

“Whoa there, Mr. Rock,” I said. “I’m not actually in the Reading Gym. I mean, I’m in the Reading Gym, but not actually in the Reading Gym, if you know what I mean.”

Zoe giggled.

“It’s complicated,” I whispered to her.

“You can say that again,” she said.

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