Publisher: Monarch Educational Services
Format Read: Paperback
Number of pages: 300 pages
Published: April 2nd, 2025
Source: Giveaway via Rosi Hollinbeck's Blog and the author
Opening Line: "I shove my broom under the display case and the glass shelves rattle."
Fifteen-year-old Anna Katherine (Katie) has been diligently saving every cent, dreaming of opening a bank account to put herself through college. She lives in a small rural town outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. But her dream is to be a reporter, like Mr. Carter at the Tribune. Katie keeps a meticulous journal, filled with all of her relevant questions and careful observations. She reads the local paper front to back, studying every headline. Still, her aspirations of being a journalist aren't exactly celebrated by her friends and family, and are instead met with skepticism and in some cases disapproval.
Fifteen-year-old Anna Katherine (Katie) has been diligently saving every cent, dreaming of opening a bank account to put herself through college. She lives in a small rural town outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. But her dream is to be a reporter, like Mr. Carter at the Tribune. Katie keeps a meticulous journal, filled with all of her relevant questions and careful observations. She reads the local paper front to back, studying every headline. Still, her aspirations of being a journalist aren't exactly celebrated by her friends and family, and are instead met with skepticism and in some cases disapproval.
Summoning her courage, Katie proposes a bold plan of moving to Charlotte to live with her paternal grandparents to attend school. Her hope is twofold, she believes the city school will provide greater academic opportunities, and that through her dedication and hard work she can persuade her grandparents to help finance her way through college. What Katie doesn't anticipate is that her grandmother has her own vision for Katie's future, that involves making Katie into a "proper" young lady.
Once in Charlotte, Katie begins to forge friendships at her new school. She becomes involved in the school paper, but only as a curiosities columnist at first. Half-Truths captures the universal teenage worry of fitting in, and being accepted by your peers. Katie meets Auntie Esther and her granddaughter, Lillian who both work as maids for Katie's grandmother. Lillian is knowledgeable about clothing and the current styles and can identify with Katie's aspirations to go to college. Lillian dreams of going to Chapel Hill for science and they quickly bond over a science experiment involving Katie's goat and finding a cure for her bout of ringworms. As the two girls friendship deepens, they uncover a series of buried family secrets, with threads connecting them. What started as an alliance of curiosity and ambitions of college becomes a shared journey through the layers of their identity, legacy, culminating in a series of difficult conversations to unravel the half-truths.
Half-Truths is a very well researched, historically accurate work of fiction that's perfect for upper middle-grade readers and children aged 12+. The story immerses the reader in the racial tensions of 1950's North Carolina with emphasis on the pervasive prejudice of the time and the NAACP's efforts to fight for equal rights. Katie's natural curiosity shines through as she persistently seeks to uncover the truth about her families history. Though determined, she's also kind and sensitive in broaching the difficult subject with her grandmother. I particularly enjoyed the nods to Katie's love for Nancy Drew and reading Blue Willow. Katie is inquisitive and driven by good intentions, yet still flawed and learning that her words matter, that they carry weight. How what she means or intends to say may not match what others hear. How choosing her words wisely was important in showing empathy. I also appreciated the gently reminder that not every story belongs on the front page and how some should stay "in your own backyard."
Each chapter begins with a series of newspaper head lines or quotes. On the author's blog readers can explore the authors 18-year journey to publication and view a comprehensive list of sources she used in her research. The author's note at the beginning of the book explains her decision to include certain words that were used during the 1950's but are no longer used today and added a thoughtful reminder about why these terms are no longer used. This was a deeply engaging book that captivated me from beginning to end and I would highly recommend it.
**A huge thank you to Rosi Hollenbeck for the giveaway opportunity and Carol Baldwin for providing the review copy.**
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