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Review: Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz

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Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz

Hidden Truths
Elly Swartz
Delacorte Press
Published October 31, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Hidden Truths

How far would you go to keep a promise? Told from alternating points of view, Hidden Truths is a story of changing friendships, the lies we tell, the secrets we keep, and the healing power of forgiveness.

Dani and Eric have been best friends since Dani moved next door in second grade. They bond over donuts, comic books, and camping on the Cape.

Until one summer when everything changes.

Did Eric cause the accident that leaves Dani unable to do the one thing in the world she most cares about? The question plagues him, and he will do anything to get answers about the explosion that injured her. But Dani is hurting too much to want Eric to pursue the truth–she just wants to shut him out and move on. Besides, Eric has a history of dropping things he starts. Eric knows that and is determined that this will be the one time he follows through.

But what if his pursuit brings him into direct conflict with another friend? Where does Eric’s loyalty really lie?

My Review

I’m trying to remember if I’ve read other contemporary middle grade books with multiple viewpoints in them, but I can’t think of any, besides maybe some of the Babysitter’s Club books? I’m sure there are others, but my mind is a blank right now.

At any rate, I found the back-and-forth points of view a cool addition to this book. It allows us to get two very different perspectives on what happened at the campsite. We also watch two characters process the same event very differently. Dani grieves over her injuries and fears about her recovery and what it all means to her daily life.

Eric has a more internal struggle. He wrestles with guilt over questions about whether he caused the accident and what to do about it if he did. He also faces ostracization and bullying at school as other students hear rumors about his possible culpability.

I really like the structure of this book and the fact that it addresses trauma without making the book feel dark and scary. Eric and Dani seem like ordinary kids who happen to go through something terrible and need to figure out how to navigate life on the other side. It’s super relatable and easy to read.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Eric is Jewish. Dani appears white. It isn’t labeled, but there are implications that Eric could have ADHD. It’s not labeled, but a few characters make comments about it. After her accident, Dani is a wheelchair user and does not have the ability to use her right arm due to nerve damage. She also has a broken leg.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Eric holds hands with a girl briefly. She kisses him on the cheek.

Spiritual Content
Eric visits a chapel in the hospital and briefly compares it to his experience at his Temple. Eric prays and tries to bargain with God throughout the story, asking for God’s help to make sure Dani is okay and recovers quickly.

Violent Content
Eric witnesses an explosion and runs into a fire to save his friend, who is pinned under some cabinets. It’s a brief scene that he doesn’t revisit often. Students at school bully Eric. They say cruel things, and one boy slams his shoulder into Eric’s and knocks his books to the ground as he walks down the hall.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of HIDDEN TRUTHS in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Adventures of Mo by Carol Patton

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , ,

The Adventures of Mo
Carol Patton
November 20, 2022

Amazon | Goodreads | Author’s Website (free download)

About The Adventures of Mo

The Adventures of Mo is about an American Eskimo dog named Mo and a bird named Finchy that travel to each US state searching for the owner of a lost key who lives in Florida. But where is Florida? Each chapter reflects an adventure in a different state, touches upon state geography/history, and introduces cardinal directions. Readers guess which state the main characters are visiting based on clues in each chapter.

This is a do-good project. While anyone can download the chapters for FREE on our website, small donations ($1-$2) are requested. The version available on Amazon includes a supplement that is not available on our website. Half of all net proceeds are donated to animal charities and children’s literacy programs nationwide, while the remaining half sustains the series.

My Review

I like the concept of this book. Introducing kids to US geography in a silly, fun adventure between a bird and a dog is a cool idea.

While I like that the goal is for readers to guess which state Mo and Finchy are in using clues from the text, I found myself wishing each chapter had a recap at the end. A recap could highlight the geographical references and show a simple map of the state with Mo and Fincy’s route. An alternative might be to include back matter with a summary of geographical information for each chapter and a large map showing Mo and Finchy’s route from start to finish.

Most characters in the book are animals, but a few humans are included in the story. One is Jason, a man who is blind and uses a service dog. There’s also the truck driver, Alex. In a couple of scenes, the story explores the history of indigenous people in the different states where Mo and Finchy are. I don’t have the expertise to evaluate the representation, but a couple of things left me a little uncomfortable. In one scene, Mo and Finchy meet the god of wind, Gaol, who tells them to call him Jay, since his name is “too hard to pronounce.” Other character names were accompanied by phonetic pronunciation guides, so I thought it was a little odd that this one wasn’t.

The historical references in the book are pretty sanitized, probably for the book’s younger audiences. There were a couple of things I felt would have been better with a little added context or perhaps left out. One other historical note: slavery and the Civil War are not mentioned at all in the book.

Conclusion

On the whole, I think the concept here is very cute. The narrative is often playful and silly and includes nearly fantastical elements, such as Mo dressing up as a human so he can get into places where animals aren’t allowed. I think young readers would get a big kick out of the main characters, even if they aren’t familiar with the geographical hints placed throughout. The episodic chapters make it easy to read the book in chunks– a must since the whole thing is almost 500 pages.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 6 to 10.

Representation
Mo and Finchy meet an armadillo who speaks Spanish. Some images show Indigenous people in what are supposed to be ceremonial clothes. They also meet a service dog who helps a blind man.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Mo develops a crush on another dog named Maggie.

Spiritual Content
Mo and Finchy briefly meet the Iroquois god of wind, Gaol. They also encounter beings called the Voices, which come from the moon and travel the galaxy, a family of Sasquatch, and a Lochness monster.

Violent Content
Mo and some other animals intervene when two girls bully another girl.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE ADVENTURES OF MO in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Looking for True by Tricia Springstubb

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,

Looking for True
Tricia Springstubb
Margaret Ferguson Books
Published November 1, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Looking for True

When two unlikely friends bond over shared compassion for a bereft but lovable dog, they learn what it truly means to find a sense of belonging and identity.

11-year-olds Gladys and Jude live in the same small, rust belt town, and go to the same school, but they are definitely not friends. Gladys is a tiny, eccentric, walking dictionary who doesn’t hesitate to express herself, while Jude likes to keep his thoughts and feelings to himself. But they both agree that a new dog in the neighborhood is being mistreated by its owner.

Gladys would like to do something to help while Jude is more resigned to the situation until the dog (who Gladys has named True Blue) disappears. They hatch a plan to find her and once they do, realize they have a problem: Gladys’s father is allergic and Jude’s mother hates dogs. There is no way they can bring her home. They hide True Blue in an abandoned house on the edge of town, but as their ties to the dog–and to one another–deepen, so does the impossibility of keeping such a big secret. Yet giving True up will break all three of their hearts.

Told in alternating voices set in a small, rust-belt town, LOOKING FOR TRUE is a story about family, identity, and finding friends in unexpected places.

My Review

Last year I read THE MOST PERFECT THING IN THE UNIVERSE by Tricia Springstubb, and absolutely adored it. So when I saw that she had a new middle grade title coming out this year, I immediately added it to my to-be-read list.

LOOKING FOR TRUE is different than I expected. In a couple of scenes the story hints at animal abuse. It’s heartbreaking to read the scenes where True (or Pookie) cowers, expecting to be hit. There are no scenes showing her being harmed, though, which I appreciated.

I liked the way that Gladys and Jude’s friendship developed. It’s halting and sometimes strained, but ultimately, they find ways to connect. And as that connection strengthens, they begin building the kind of friendship that can see you through all sorts of disasters. Which is great, because there are definitely some disasters they face in this book!

The story has a small town vibe, which I love. I also liked that both Gladys and Jude had complicated relationships with their parents. Gladys loves a lot of things about her mom, but she’s beginning to see some hard truths, too. I liked that while the story isn’t about those relationships, they aren’t simple or canned.

On the whole, I enjoyed reading this book a lot. If you are a fan of sweet dog stories, definitely add LOOKING FOR TRUE to your reading list.

Content Notes for Looking for True

References to and hints about animal abuse.

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Gladys is adopted out of foster care.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
In a couple scenes, adults threaten to hit a dog. It’s clear from the dog’s reaction that she’s been abused. Jude’s mom is hyper critical of him in some scenes, shaming him for not performing better at school or for not keeping a closer eye on his brother.

Drug Content
One characters smokes cigarettes. Jude’s mother drinks beer.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of LOOKING FOR TRUE in exchange for my honest review.