The Honest-to-Goodness Truth

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The Honest-to-Goodness Truth
The Honest-to-Goodness Truth.jpg
Author Patricia McKissack,
IllustratorGiselle Potter
CountryUSA
LanguageEnglish
Genre Children's literature, children's picture book
Published2000 (Atheneum Books)
Media typePrint (hardback, paperback)
Pages40
ISBN 9780689826689
OCLC 40135279

The Honest-to-Goodness Truth is a 2000 picture book written by Patricia McKissack and illustrated by Giselle Potter. It is about a girl, Libby Louise, who decides to only tell the truth, the problems this causes, and her eventual understanding about the need for empathy and kindness in some situations.

Reception

Booklist , in its review of The Honest-to-Goodness Truth, wrote "The story is very much a lesson, but it's a subtle one, and Potter's colorful, naive-style illustrations capture the innocence and eagerness of the "good girl" who learns that telling tales is not the way to be nice, that some things are private." [1] and School Library Journal called it "A welcome offering about honesty and consideration." [1]

Book Links has included it in a list of picture books that can be used to teach ethics to younger children and wrote "McKissack's book helps to convey the subtleties of being truthful to younger children who might not yet understand the difference between dishonesty and discretion.". [2]

The Honest-to-Goodness Truth has also been reviewed by The Horn Book Magazine , [3] Kirkus Reviews , [4] Library Media Connection, [5] and Publishers Weekly . [6]

It appears on the 2002 NCTE Adventuring with Books for Pre-K—Grade 6 booklist. [7]

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References

  1. 1 2 "The honest-to-goodness truth". Buffalo and Erie County Public Library. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  2. "What Should You Do? Approaching Ethics through Literature". Book Links. 10 (4). American Library Association. February 2001. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  3. "The Honest-to-Goodness Truth: Reviews". catalog.wccls.org. Retrieved March 15, 2017. The pastel watercolor and ink illustrations capture the story's Southern milieu, warmth, and humor.
  4. "The Honest-to-Goodness Truth: Reviews". catalog.wccls.org. Retrieved March 15, 2017. This is a tale in which the literal-minded may be too close to the situation to see the humor, but the heroine's heart is in the right place, and she works through her confusion in recognizable, easily followed stages.
  5. "The Honest-to-Goodness Truth: Reviews". catalog.wccls.org. Retrieved March 15, 2017. This is a very special book that deals with a difficult concept for young children in terms they can understand.
  6. "The Honest-to-Goodness Truth". Publishers Weekly. PWxyz LLC. December 16, 2002. Retrieved March 15, 2017. The intimate settings so integral to Potter's folk-art style provide a fitting complement to the author's cozy community.
  7. Marjorie R. Hancock (2002). Amy A. Mclure; Janice V. Kristo (eds.). Adventuring with Books: A Booklist for Pre-K--Grade 6: School Life - Feeling Good in and out of School (PDF). NCTE. p. 117. Retrieved March 18, 2017.