This series is another fun one from Cathy Hopkins.

You experience a roller-coaster of relateable emotions and feelings. You want to cry with Cat yet at the same time you want to shake her. She grows as a character as the story progresses.

The truth can hurt, but it's best to be truthful, right? ( )

I had never read this author before (she also writes Mates, Dates, and Inflatable Bras), so I didn't realize she was British. That threw me off a bit.

The store is of a girl, Cat, who has a boyfriend Squidge, who she might just want to break up with but doesn't know how. Her best friend, Becca, likes a boy named Ollie, who Cat also likes but doesn't want to hurt Becca. Can she learn to keep all her secrets safe?

I thought this was a little too much on the light and fluffy side for my taste. I'd say read about Georgia Nicholson or Mia Thermopolis first. ( )

A great start to a great series... Helps you get a feel for the characters.

Hopkins, C. (2002). White Lies and Barefaced Truths. New York: Simon Pulse.

Grade Levels: 7-9
Category: Realistic Fiction
Read-Alouds: pp. 11-25 (Cat first meets Ollie at the beach); 72-86 (Cat tries the effects of telling fibs and telling truths; 136-182 (The party and culmination of all events with every character).

Summary: Cat and her friends fancy a boy named Ollie. What Cat’s friends don’t know is that she has already met, and kissed Ollie. Because Cat is such a good fibber her friends don’t catch on right away. Cat and her friend Bec befriend Ollie’s sister Lia and soon become fast best friends. When Lia’s parents throw a magnificent party all are invited and the girls soon realize that Ollie is not the boy they should be caught up with.

Themes: Because this is what I classify as a chick-lit book, it is quite fluffy which in turn means that the main theme in this book is teen relationships. The group of girls in this book has a large group of friends consisting of boys and girls. Some of the girls, such as Cat, already has a boyfriend and feels that the relationship with him has run its course. Whereas Bec is longing for any guy that will look her way. This text tells the struggles of teenage normalcy in England where surprisingly both boys and girls have to co-exist. When Ollie and Lia move to town they are automatically become stars as their parents are very wealthy. Cat, Bec, and their other friends become star struck and relish the idea of going to an enormous party at their house. Another text I would use in addition with this one is Cathy Hopkins’ Mates Dates series. They are set along the same lines but deal with another group of girls.

Discussion Questions:
How would you react in Bec’s case when she finds out Cat has already met Ollie?
How would you react in Cat’s case when she finds Jade kissing Ollie?
What would happen if a famous celebrity became your friend at school?

Reader Response: I read this book because I really like Cathy Hopkins’ Mates Dates series. I was less impressed by this first book of her Truth or Dare series. I really like that her characters are British and use different slang then American teenagers do. I like how the different characters react to the same situation, their reactions are part of their personalities and it is nice to see each side. Overall this was an entertaining book and had very humorous moments but I prefer Cathy Hopkins’ other series to this one.

Hopkins, Cathy (2002). Truth or Dare: White Lies and Barefaced Truths. New York: Simon Pulse

Grade Levels: 6-9

Category: Problem novel

Summary: The main character, Cat, is facing some dilemnas. She wants to break up with her boyfriend of four years, Squidge, but can’t bear to tell him the truth. She has a crush on the same boy and her best friend, but can’t admit it to her friend. Both of these events cause major internal turmoil and external hardship for Cat as she decides whether or not to tell the truth.

Themes: One of the main themes in this novel is honesty. The difference between white lies and the truth is discussed extensively as the main character decides what is the best decision. The other issue is that Cat is the oldest of a very large family, and her mother is gone, so she is dealing with questions of leadership and helping raise her younger siblings as well. She cannot find privacy in her families small home, and her father cannot afford the latest fashions, both of these cause issues for Cat during her adolescence, and these issues are discussed by the novel.

Discussion Questions:
What is the idea behind honesty during this novel? How is this concept presented?
What happens to Cat after she lies about the dress and wears it? Is this symbolism for something larger?
How is Cat’s family portrayed? Is Cat a good role-model for her siblings?

Reader Response: Overall, I enjoyed this novel. I had a deep connection with Cat as she fought with these common teen problems. I found myself reflecting back to my first years in high school and dealing with the same issues. I don’t know that the issues presented in this novel would relate well to students today though. I thought that I connected with it because it portrayed a teen lifestyle from maybe ten years ago instead of today, even through the language used and issues fought with. Also, the character connections weren’t as strong as in other novels that I have read. The author did a great job of appealing to the younger side of the spectrum of YA lit I feel and she portrayed a responsible main character making good life choices. Cat is someone that young people could use as a role model.