Never Judge a Fish on Its Ability to Climb a Tree

About the Book

Never Judge a Fish on Its Ability to Climb a Tree is a paraphrased quote from Albert Einstein. In this children’s book, Michael is speaking from a child to a child. The child he is trying to reach with this easy-to-understand lesson is the artist who struggles with a sport, the athlete who struggles with literature, the writer who struggles with math, and so on. When children learn to step outside the bounds of the mental slavery that was imposed on them, they can begin to stop taking criticism personally. When they stop taking negative comments, bad grades, and labels personally, they are free to express something creative. Children with no personal history to live up to behind them and an open canvas in their present moments will be what they are from the depths of their souls. In this book, Michael is telling his peers that they are not their personal history. They are not defined by their accomplishments.

About the Author

Michael Evans Jr. is an eleven-year-old boy from New York. He is the oldest of his siblings, with a ten-year-old brother and a seven-year-old sister—both published authors as well in the genre of self-development and mindfulness for children. Michael is homeschooled. Prior to homeschool, Michael attended both public and private schools. As a freethinker, he struggled against becoming a carbon copy of his teacher’s ideals. As a lacrosse player, he was compelled to take on the role of the player with the least amount of talent because that was how his coach made him feel. His school grades were below average because his teachers thought his handwriting was messy, and he had a hard time staring at a chalkboard all day. Once Michael was removed from the system, he began to make his own path in life without a personal history to live up to. He now studies literature, is a talented writer, and plays at a level equal to the top players on his lacrosse teams. In his free time, you can find Michael playing lacrosse with his friends, swimming in the ocean with his family, contemplating the works of Fulke Greville or Christopher Hitchens, and watching Family Guy.