The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle

By Leslie Connor

Mason's friend vanished. Can he uncover the truth before it's too late?

4.3/5 Goodreads · 9,608 ratings

352 pages· 66,043 words· Est. 7.5 hour read

$7.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Mason Buttle struggles with learning disabilities and grief after his best friend Benny's mysterious death. As the investigation stalls, Mason and his new friend Calvin face relentless bullying. They find solace in a secret hideout, but when Calvin disappears, Mason is thrust into a desperate search for answers. Can he unravel the mystery of both disappearances and prove his innocence, or will his story go unheard?

From the publisher

From the critically acclaimed author of Waiting for Normal and All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook, Leslie Connor, comes a deeply poignant and beautifully crafted story about self-reliance, redemption, and hope. This middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 6, especially during homeschooling. It’s a fun way to keep your child entertained and engaged while not in the classroom. Mason Buttle is the biggest, sweatiest kid in his grade, and everyone knows he can barely read or write. Mason’s learning disabilities are compounded by grief. Fifteen months ago, Mason’s best friend, Benny Kilmartin, turned up dead in the Buttle family’s orchard.An investigation drags on, and Mason, honest as the day is long, can’t understand why Lieutenant Baird won’t believe the story Mason has told about that day.Both Mason and his new friend, tiny Calvin Chumsky, are relentlessly bullied by the other boys in their neighborhood, so they create an underground haven for themselves. When Calvin goes missing, Mason finds himself in trouble again. He’s desperate to figure out what happened to Calvin and, eventually, Benny.But will anyone believe him?National Book Award Finalist ALA Schneider Family Book Award 2019 ALSC Notable Children’s Book Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2018 2019-2020 Nebraska Golden Sower Award Amazon Best Books of 2018 Kirkus Best of Children’s 2018 New York Public Library Best Books 2018 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books 2018 2018 Nerdy Book Club Middle Grade Winner South Carolina Junior Book Award Nominee 2020 Colorado Children’s Book Award Nominee Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year 2019 (9-12) 2020 Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominee 2020-2021 Missouri Association of School Librarians Mark Twain Readers Award Preliminary Nominee 2020-2021 Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee

At a glance