I get really, really excited when I find a book that is overflowing with exciting learning possibilities, and that’s why I can’t wait to share Dan Gemeinhart’s debut book The Honest Truth with you. The main character Mark is a twelve-year-old boy dealing with a return of the cancer he’s fought most of his life, and the story is that of his journey as he deals with this news. It’s full of friendship and contemplation and, yes, poetry; ultimately, this story asks: what’s really important in life? How should we look at it?
Despite the difficulties he faces, Mark’s story ends triumphantly – and I love that I can hand this complex story over to my middle school kids without worry about it being too grown up for them.
It’s never too late for the adventure of a lifetime.
In all the ways that matter, Mark is a normal kid. He’s got a dog named Beau and a best friend, Jessie. He likes to take photos and write haiku poems in his notebook. He dreams of climbing a mountain one day.
But in one important way, Mark is not like other kids at all. Mark is sick. The kind of sick that means hospitals. And treatments. The kind of sick some people never get better from.
So Mark runs away. He leaves home with his camera, his notebook, his dog, and a plan. A plan to reach the top of Mount Rainier. Even if it’s the last thing he ever does.
The Honest Truth is a rare and extraordinary novel about big questions, small moments, and one incredible journey.
I love the questions that Mark asks in this book and the answers that he finds. I love the way that Gemeinhart makes Mark’s journey relatable to so many – all while on a fast-paced adventure story, and I think your kids will like it, too.
The Honest Truth is perfect for a book club, over-the-dinner-table, with a pen pal, or literature circle discussion. That’s why I’ve created Discussion Questions and Creative Writing Projects. You’ll find questions sorted by chapter that have no right or wrong answer, but instead ask your students to compare, contrast and critique the characters and the choices they make. Writing projects take a variety of forms, both opinion, essay, and other creative projects.
Gemeinhart includes haiku as one of Mark’s hobbies, but his own writing includes many quote-able passages. These quotes would make great writing prompts on their own, but they’re also wonderful for hanging up and pondering – that’s why I created FREE printables for you. They’re ready to print and go.
I’m looking forward to our book club event featuring this book in a few months. We’re heading outdoors to hike in the cold weather the way that Mark did – and there are lots of other outside possibilities, too. I’ve created a Book Club Activities pack to make it easy for you to use this with your book club. It includes ideas for taking your book clubbers outside, for food from the book, for costumes and clothing, and also printable research projects – and, of course, it comes with discussion questions.
So, what are you waiting for? Grab your copy of The Honest Truth and let the fun begin!
You can find these and other creative, time-saving resources for your home or classroom at my TpT Store A Nest in the Rocks.
What are your kids reading right now?
