The Truth of Me

.span style = 'font-weight:bold'>Gr 3–5—An elegant exploration of love and familial relationships. Robbie is looking forward to spending the summer with his grandmother, Maddy. He likes her eccentric stories, he likes that wild animals come right up to her, and he likes how Maddy makes his parents nervous. Robbie often feels that his parents, accomplished professional musicians, love their instruments more than him. Over the course of the summer, Maddy helps him realize that he can be brave enough to express his feelings openly even though his mother might not be capable of saying "I love you" in return. This story is well paced and rhythmic in its dialogue, lending itself well to a group read-aloud. This is a sweet, easy chapter book that teaches children about coming to terms with their own feelings as well as accepting and appreciating others for their own "small truths." —Tiffany O'Leary, Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, NY