The Honest-to-Goodness Truth facts for kids
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| Author | Patricia McKissack, |
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| Illustrator | Giselle Potter |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature, |
| Published | 2000 (Atheneum Books) |
| Media type | Print (hardback, paperback) |
| Pages | 40 |
| ISBN | 9780689826689 |
| OCLC | 40135279 |
The Honest-to-Goodness Truth is a wonderful picture book from 2000. It was written by Patricia McKissack and illustrated by Giselle Potter. This book tells the story of a young girl named Libby Louise. She decides one day that she will only tell the absolute truth, no matter what.
Libby's journey shows how telling the truth can sometimes cause problems. It also teaches an important lesson about being kind and understanding others' feelings. The book helps readers think about when honesty is best and when a little kindness is needed too.
Contents
The Story of Libby Louise
Libby's Big Decision
The main character in the book is a girl named Libby Louise. One day, Libby decides she is tired of not being completely honest. She makes a big promise to herself: from now on, she will only tell the "honest-to-goodness truth." This means she will say exactly what she thinks and sees, without holding anything back.
Libby believes that telling the truth all the time is the best way to be. She thinks it will make everything clear and simple. However, she soon learns that being completely truthful can be more complicated than she imagined.
Truth and Its Troubles
Libby quickly starts putting her new rule into practice. She tells her friend that her new dress looks like a potato sack. She tells her grandmother that her cookies are too hard. She even tells her teacher that her singing is not very good.
While Libby thinks she is just being honest, her words start to hurt people's feelings. Her friends become upset, and her family members feel sad or angry. Libby notices that her honest words are causing problems instead of making things better. People start to avoid her.
Learning About Kindness
Libby Louise soon realizes that her strict rule about truth-telling is making her lonely. She sees that while her words are true, they are also causing pain. This makes her feel bad. She starts to understand that there is more to communication than just saying facts.
With some guidance, Libby begins to learn a valuable lesson. She discovers that telling the truth is important, but it should also be balanced with kindness and empathy. Empathy means understanding and sharing the feelings of others. Kindness means being friendly, generous, and considerate.
The Book's Message
The Honest-to-Goodness Truth teaches young readers about the power of words. It shows that while honesty is a good quality, it needs to be used wisely. The book highlights that sometimes, a little bit of kindness can go a long way. It helps us think about how our words affect others.
The story encourages children to consider how they speak to people. It suggests that before speaking, we should think: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? This helps us communicate in a way that is both honest and caring.
About the Creators
Patricia McKissack
Patricia McKissack (1944–2017) was a very famous American author. She wrote many books for children and young adults. Her books often focused on African American history and culture. She won many awards for her writing, including the Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award. McKissack was known for telling stories that taught important lessons about life and history.
Giselle Potter
Giselle Potter is a talented American illustrator. She is known for her unique and charming artwork in children's books. Her illustrations often have a whimsical and slightly quirky style. Potter's drawings help bring the characters and stories to life. Her pictures in The Honest-to-Goodness Truth perfectly show Libby's feelings and the reactions of the people around her.
