Web of Lies

May 1, 2006
Gr 6-9 -This sequel to "The Other Side of Truth" (HarperCollins, 2001) continues the story of Sade and Femi, now back with their father, as they struggle to fit in at their London school. Femi faces pressure to join a gang, and as he becomes increasingly enmeshed in its activities, his lies to his family become more serious. Eventually he is arrested when a gang member is stabbed and he is caught running away from the scene. This is a gritty and credible story of how a young teen can be unintentionally pulled into a gang, as well as a cautionary tale with a touch of didacticism, African-style. However, it is also a heart-warming story of a family struggling through difficult circumstances, including grief over their mother -s murder, economic difficulties, and the culture shock of being refugees in a foreign country. This novel is about the power of telling the truth and the poison of lying. As the three family members slowly learn to confide in one another, their relationships are healed, even if their circumstances are not resolved. While Femi is at the center of this story, Sade -s feelings are revealed through her journal. Naidoo integrates Nigerian culture seamlessly into the British context, revealing the complex social world inhabited by immigrants. Readers will look forward to the next installment in the Solajas - story." -Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City"

Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2006
Gr. 6-10. In " The Other Side of Truth" (2001), Naidoo brings politics close through the eyes of Sade, who, following the assassination of her mother in Nigeria, flees to London with her brother, Femi. Now, two years later, the children have been reunited with their father, as the refugee family waits for asylum. The focus this time is on Femi, 12, who succumbs to pressure to join a violent gang. After he is caught delivering drugs and confesses to the police, the gang tries to murder his family, and the trouble threatens the family's slim chance of asylum. Some political parallels seem added on, including the story of boys forced to become soldiers in Sudan, but the depiction of racism, gangs, and savage bullying in the city "jungle" is tense and dramatic. Readers will want to talk about the issues Naidoo raises here, as well as some of those she spoke about in her January 2002 " Booklist "Interview: "Politics is our lives . . and school bullying is the same kind of power dynamics on a different scale."(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)