Turley, Beth. IF THIS WERE A STORY

Turley, Beth.
IF THIS WERE A STORY
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2018
IL 3-6
ISBN 978-1-53442-061-8

Hannah is a fifth grader who is just a bit different from most of her class. She is very bright and believes she contains magic. When she gets the note that says "Nobody like Hannah", things change. Her parents focus on her more and they tend to fight less. Most people suspect that Kimmie sent the note. Kimmie's mother has died and she now lives with her grandmother. Kimmie is angry all the time. And Hannah is the only one who can beat her in the spelling bee. The notes continue and we are introduced to Hannah's inner world where her stuffed animal can talk as can coins and street signs. The school counselor tries to help Hannah but she becomes more withdrawn. This is an unusual tale of bullies, family problems, and imagination.