I was deeply honored when Bryan asked me to review his book. The short is that this book is amazing. Reading about Bryan's journey has been invigorating. His story is truly unique; most students with his circumstances don't achieve as much as Bryan has accomplished. His forthright approach conveys a level of care, wisdom, and authenticity that can only be achieved by someone who has painstakingly walked the talk for decades. The Six Literacies, or lack thereof, have been present in classrooms throughout my career, and until now, I have been unable to directly identify them. For the outside observer, the frogs on the log is the perfect description of our Education system. Always deciding, always collecting data, always planning, but rarely ever doing. Bryan identifies each of these concepts and shares a story that demonstrates each of them in practice. I’ve been to too many Professional Developments that lack any sort of actionable material that can be used today. Bryan gives you a curriculum that can be started today, and it requires nothing more than a pencil, a notebook, and a library card. 

The words of encouragement in the epilogue is a reminder of why the late nights grading, the extra costs for materials, the stash of snacks, the extra school supplies, and the creative lesson plans are worth it and why they matter. The budget cuts, increasing class sizes, changed assignments, and layoffs have taken a major toll. Thousands of excellent young educators have ended their careers prematurely because of a deeply flawed system. Our children deserve better. Hopefully, this book will become a catalyst and mark an inflection point in education toward a better tomorrow.

Rob Patterson
Master of Arts in Education
Licensed Teacher since 2021