To Tell You the Truth

May 1, 2021
Stories, whether they are sad or happy--or both--reveal truths that make a difference and that can heal. Nothing illustrates this better than the stories about her childhood that Gran whispered into Trixy's ears, right up until her tragic death. Trixy feels better as she shares Gran's stories at school, but no one, not even her mother, believes they are true. Mama resents that Gran didn't talk about her past with her and struggles with her grief. Determined Trixy sets out to uncover the truth. She stows away on a road trip that her friend Raymond Crickett and his sister are taking with their dad's band. As it happens, many of the stops are places in Tennessee that Gran had outlined as tour stops for Mr. Crickett years before. Trixy narrates with spirit and insight, describing the present-day events and interspersing them with Gran's colorful stories about the past. Sure enough, Gran's tales provide a path to reunion and reconciliation. As the richly drawn characters, past and present, are introduced, their storylines and their lives become interwoven. Themes of love, abandonment, hardship, and triumph are explored. Difficult topics and dramatic revelations are softened by the leisurely pace and the humorous interactions between headstrong Trixy and sensible, sensitive Raymond. Most satisfying of all is that Gran's tales prepare Trixy for her own future. Main characters default to White. Poignant and uplifting. (Fiction. 8-12)

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May 1, 2021
Grades 4-7 Ever since Trixy's Gran, a prolific storyteller, passed away, a grieving Trixy has herself been overflowing with words. To make up for a missed memoir assignment, her sympathetic but strict fourth-grade teacher asks her to write a series of true stories. Though Gran insisted that her tales remain confidential, Trixy turns in one of those anecdotes as her own. It is well received, so Trixy turns in more, and they become more widely shared. When their truth is called into question, Trixy, determined to prove that Gran's adventures were more than just tall tales, begins to unravel her family's mysteries. Told in beautiful, dreamy prose accented with Southern drawls, Trixy's adventures are easily woven in with stories from Gran's fascinating life, including some remarkable reveals. The book imparts a gentle wisdom on friendship and family, grief and grace, but it shines in how it stresses the beauty and importance of stories, both spoken and silent. A gorgeous reminder of the power of stories to shape our worlds and each other.

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