The Honest-to-Goodness Truth

By Patricia C. McKissack, Giselle Potter (Illustrator)

Libby's truth-telling causes chaos. Can she learn when honesty isn't the best policy?

5.0/7 Bookroo expert·4.1/5 Goodreads · 394 ratings

40 pages· 1,516 words· Est. 12 min read-aloud

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Bookroo's summary

Libby believes in telling the truth, but her honesty lands her in hot water with friends and classmates. From revealing Ruthie Mae's sock hole to exposing Willie's undone homework, Libby faces backlash. As she navigates the fallout, Libby must discover the balance between honesty and kindness. Can she find a way to be truthful without hurting those she cares about? Join Libby on her journey to understand the complexities of truth-telling and the importance of empathy.

From the publisher

If telling the truth is the right thing to do, why is the whole world mad at Libby?

“Tell the truth and shame the devil,” Libby’s mama has told her. So whatever is Libby doing wrong? Ever since she started telling only the truth, the whole world seems to be mad at her. First it’s her best friend, Ruthie Mae, who gets upset when Libby tells all their friends that Ruthie Mae has a hole in her sock. Then Willie gives her an ugly look when she tells the teacher he hasn’t done his homework. It seems that telling the truth isn’t always so simple.

Children will sympathize with Libby as she struggles to figure out that even though it’s always wrong to tell a lie, there’s a right and a wrong way to tell the truth. Giselle Potter’s naively stubborn illustrations perfectly capture this humorous and poignant story by award-winning author Patricia C. McKissack.

At a glance

Format: Paperback
Pages: 40
Words: 1,516
Reading age: 4–8
Audience: Picture
Lexile: 650L

Themes & topics

Books about honesty Books about lying Books about manners and etiquette Books about social themes Books about feelings and emotions

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.0

out of 7

5.0

“This book is definitely on the longer side but it takes a stab at the importance of not only telling the truth but also telling it at the right time, in the right way, for the right reasons! The illustrations are fun and stylized and I appreciate the diversity of the characters.”

Marmee

Trusted reviewer

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