The Other Side of Truth facts for kids
2000 edition with award seal
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| Author | Beverley Naidoo |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Puff Books |
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Publication date
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January 2000 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 227 pp (first edition) |
| ISBN | 978-0-14-130476-2 |
| OCLC | 43377395 |
| LC Class | PZ7.N1384 Ot 2000 |
| Followed by | Web of Lies |
The Other Side of Truth is a novel for young people, written by Beverley Naidoo. It was published in 2000. The story is about two Nigerian children who become refugees. They have to leave their home country and seek safety in another.
The book takes place in the autumn of 1995. At this time, Nigeria was ruled by a harsh leader named General Abacha. He was trying to silence journalists who spoke out against him. The story follows a Nigerian girl named Sade and her younger brother. They must leave suddenly after their mother is killed. This happens during an attack meant for their father, who is a brave journalist. The children are sent to London but are left alone there. They have to deal with the police, social services, and even school bullies. Beverley Naidoo won the Carnegie Medal for this book. This award is given to the best children's book by a British subject each year.
Contents
The Story of Sade and Femi
This novel is told from the point of view of 12-year-old Sade Solaja. Her father, Folarin Solaja, is a journalist. He often writes critically about the government. The book begins with Sade remembering the two gunshots that killed her mother. This sad memory stays with her throughout the story. Sade often compares her memories of Nigeria with her new life in England. Her mother's wise words give her comfort and strength. Because the story is seen through Sade's eyes, many events feel confusing, just as she experiences them.
Leaving Nigeria for Safety
After the shooting, Sade's Uncle Tunde tells her father to send Sade and her 10-year-old brother Femi to England. They must pack and leave quickly and secretly. They fly to London pretending to be the children of a stranger, Mrs. Bankole. This is so they can travel using her passport. When their Uncle Dele does not meet them at the airport, Mrs. Bankole leaves them alone. She abandons them at a coffee shop near Victoria Station.
Lost and Alone in London
With no money and no friends, Sade and Femi wander the streets. They are looking for the art college where their uncle works. They find a temporary safe place in a video store. However, the owner calls the police, thinking they are causing trouble. This is how the authorities find out about them. Sade is afraid to tell the full truth. She worries it might put her father in danger. So, she stays quiet or tells only part of the story.
New Homes and Challenges
The children are first placed with a foster family, Mrs. Graham and her rude son Kevin. Later, they move in with the Kings, a kind Jamaican couple. The children are sent to different schools. Sade goes to Avon High School. There, she meets Mariam, a girl from Somalia, who has a similar story to Sade's. Sade also faces bullies named Marcia and Donna. They pressure her to steal a turquoise lighter from Mariam's uncle's shop. Femi goes to Greenslades Primary School. Sade and Femi become quieter with each other as they deal with their new lives.
A Father's Fight for Freedom
Later, Sade learns that her worried father has also come to England. He entered the country without permission to find them. He has been arrested. There is a chance he could be sent back to Nigeria. This would mean he would face danger, especially since the Nigerian police claim he is wanted for his wife's murder. Iyawo Jenny and Mr. Nathan try hard to help Sade's father, but things are difficult.
Sade bravely goes out on a freezing night to speak to "Mr. Seven O'Clock." This is a newscaster she has seen on television. She wants him to share her father's story with the British public. The book ends with her father being released for Christmas. However, they are still waiting to be granted asylum. They hope one day they can safely return to Nigeria. Sade misses her grandmother and her old life.
What the Book is About
The book has several important ideas, called themes. Some of the main themes are:
- Refugees: People who have to leave their home country for safety.
- Clash of cultures: How people adapt to new ways of life and learn to accept differences.
- Freedom of speech: The right to speak your mind, versus censorship (when information is controlled).
- Democracy vs. dictatorship: Different ways countries are governed.
- Discrimination and prejudice: Being treated unfairly because of who you are.
- Human rights: The basic rights all people should have.
- The truth: Finding and speaking the truth, even when it is hard.
- Coming of age: Growing up and learning about the world.
- Asylum: Seeking protection in another country.
- Loss and displacement: Losing your home and feeling out of place.
Awards and Recognition
The Other Side of Truth won a UK Arts Council Award while it was still being written. After it was published, it won the British librarians' Carnegie Medal. This award is for the best children's book of the year. The Carnegie Medal committee said the book "skilfully blends fact and fiction." They also said it "leaves a lasting impression of real issues." They described it as "An important book which challenges the notion of 'truth' itself." They also called the writing "gripping, powerful and evocative."
The Other Side of Truth was also a runner-up for the 2000 Nestlé Smarties Book Prize. It was named an International Board on Books for Young People Honour Book in 2002. In 2002, it won the Jane Addams Children's Book Award.
Real-Life Connections
The novel mentions the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and other journalists. This event caused a lot of anger around the world in 1995. The story takes place right after these executions. Even though Nigeria is no longer ruled by the military, journalists there still face dangers. Groups like Reporters Without Borders say that journalists are often beaten, arrested unfairly, and have their offices raided.
The book also refers to the Somali civil war. Sade's school friend Mariam experienced this war when she was a young child.
Sequel to the Story
A second book, called "Web of Lies," was published in 2006. This story is about the challenges Femi faces while the family waits to find out if they will be granted asylum. It was nominated for the Angus Book Award.
