The Truth As Told by Mason Buttle
This gem was handed to me by a wonderful librarian this winter. The story has depth, so I would recommend it for 5-8 graders. However, the book level is lower for our struggling readers (BL 2.7) but is a solid chapter book at 333 pages.
The first thing that makes this book so incredible is Mason himself. Although it never says he’s dyslexic, our students can really identify with his struggles in school and he certainly fits the profile. On top of that, his life is far from perfect. At the start of the story, we learn that Mason has got some real struggles. He lost his best friend, he’s bullied, he lives with his grandmother in what he calls “the crumbledown” and the world just isn’t fair. Even if your reader has never been an underdog, Mason’s attempt to be understood is something we all can identify with.
Secondly, this story adds some unlikely friends, solid villains and some pretty cool grownups. Have you noticed, sometimes in kid literature, the characters don’t feel real – too nice, too evil etc? This story has a lot of “real feel” folks which made it oh, so believable. If you want a book about honesty, friendship, a lovable dog with a likable hero, justice prevailing and a happily ever after, this is one for your book list.