Moments on Mute

By Meagan Gibson

Based on a true story and written in free verse poetry… Maggie Harris is a small-town girl with a unique imagination. When Maggie’s teacher notices her creativity and curiosity, she is placed in the Talented and Gifted program at school. In Maggie’s imagination, amazing things are always happening. In her reality, Maggie has a serious problem. She can’t read like the other kids her age and has no idea why. She’s smart, and smart kids can read, right?

Maggie tries her best to keep people from finding out her secret, hoping that her problem will go away on its own. She doesn’t want to tell her mom, who is always reminding her to make good grades and do her best. And she definitely doesn’t want to tell her annoying older brother, who’d just find a way to embarrass her. What if Maggie’s best still isn’t good enough? Would her friends understand? Would anybody understand?

With each year bringing new challenges, Maggie tries harder and harder to hide her secret. But what happens when someone finds out?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Outskirts Press
• Release date: Jan 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9781977265029

Meagan Gibson

Meagan Gibson is a Certified Academic Language Therapist and IMSLEC Innovator Award Winner. Before teaching students with dyslexia, she taught for ten years in traditional public-schools. Meagan lives with her husband in Louisiana.

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Moments on Mute

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2023 Meagan Gibson

v4.0

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.

This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Cover Photo © 2023 www.gettyimages.com. All rights reserved - used with permission.

Illustrated by Julia Andrzejewska

Copyright Registration Number TXu-280-557

Outskirts Press and the OP logo are trademarks belonging to Outskirts Press, Inc.

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Dedicated to my friends and family,

Who encourage me to never give up

And to look on the bright side

Preface

Everyone, no matter their age

Intelligence or ability

Has moments when they

Just don’t understand

Something is missing

It seems that everyone else

Knows what is going on

I didn’t realize

Until I began my training as a

Certified Academic Language Therapist

That I was just like my students with dyslexia

Struggling to read but loving to learn

A curious and imaginative mind

But confused by familiar symbols

I tried to hide it

Working hard

To prove my intelligence

But remained afraid

Someone would discover my weakness

As life began to be more complicated

My struggles remained

I tried to capture the moments

Of my journey

Even the ones on mute

Table of Contents

The Harris Family: First Impressions

Preschool: Time of Discovery

First Grade: Instances of Love and Admiration

Second Grade: Moments of Connection

Third Grade: Trying the Samples

Fourth Grade: A Change of Pace

Fifth Grade: Moving On

Sixth Grade: Finally

Appendix: Ask the Author117

The Harris Family:

First Impressions

Opening Credits

My favorite TV sitcoms

About families

Started out the same

The upbeat music began

A view of the big city

Cut to a neighborhood

Then a man began to sing

As each member

Of the family

(In different areas

Of a two-story home)

Would one by one

Stop whatever

They were doing

To smile at the camera

While their names

Would be displayed

In all caps.

Although

I had practiced

My smile many times

Introducing you to

My family

Will not be

Anything like that.

Start Here

In the second biggest state,

In a small town

Quiet neighborhood

Street so round

Three bedrooms, home to five

Last but not least, one girl inside

Nothing extraordinary

My name, two syllables

So forgettable, one I had to claim

People have stories

But it takes time

To figure out

The lyrics

Now, I’m no musician

I can’t play one thing

Believe me, I’ve tried.

My singing is up for debate

But you don’t have to be

Anyone special

To feel, to love

To live …music

And the lyrics—

Words united

Together to tell

A story

My Name

Maggie

So simple

Chosen by my brother

In the middle

It was familiar to him

One I had to learn

It means pearl

Like in the mouth

Of an oyster

Or a clam at the bottom

Of the ocean

So big and blue

After it gets

Irritated

In defense

Forms a pearl

Without a clue

That my name

Would mean

The same

As my birthstone

When I belted out

My first note

On cue

Mama aka Ruth

Pat-a-cake

Pat-a-cake

Moving hands

Rhyming words

No music needed

Just laughing

Clapping when

We’re done

Because