Nothing but the Truth

Masterfully shows all the different points of view. There are no bad guys here. The AP is, almost, but he certainly wouldn't have thought of himself as such. The kid is kind of a brat, but he's 14, just trying to figure things out... and nobody is actually listening to him, hearing him out, giving him a chance to sort through what's happening.

The digital edition that I read on overdrive/Libby has plenty of notes to help the reader get more out of the story. I would add, were I teaching this Newbery book, that students consider what happens next. Pick a character, [perhaps I'd choose Philip's dad (poor man, telling his son to stick up for himself, living his dream of athleticism through his son)], and write another chapter about the show more repercussions of the whole affair for them.

Honestly, I have no idea why this book is sometimes challenged. It is, after all, very patriotic, and so should appeal to the conservatives. And liberals must appreciate the provocative ideas that a few of the characters come close to expressing. I thought it was wonderfully thoughtful and rich the first time I read it, decades ago, and still believe so. And it's still relevant. show less

I have loved this book since I was a child. And it remains relevant today. I love that it has a new audiobook that is full cast for more people to discover and enjoy. When this book came out, I remember thinking this stuff never happens, but as an adult in Trump loving America, not only does this happen, but it has also gotten worse. One of the things I love most about this book is you see the event from multiple sides. The sullen teenager who just thinks his teacher hates him, the teacher who knows her student can be/do better, the parents who want to stand up for their kid and their freedom, and the community who only hears part of the story. This plays so much into our current nation and the ongoing teacher story. This should be show more mandatory reading! show less

Yes, this book annoyed me. Yes, the characters are the worst. But this is an important, well-written (just like in acting, if you make someone hate you/your character, you know you're doing well) book.

I work in a middle school, and my father is a middle school teacher. We all know that everyday parents are getting more and more involved in their kids educations, school budgets are getting tighter and tighter, and attitudes towards values and discipline are always changing. These are the facts, for better or worse. A situation like Nothing But the Truth could very well happen in the exact same way today, and that's precisely what me me so angry about this book.

I like the "documentary" style, and it was a quick read. The fact that show more Phillip knew what he was doing was wrong but didn't want to admit it, and his parents believed they were doing the right thing by pushing him is very realistic, as is, unfortunately, the school's preoccupation on getting their budget approved (which they didn't even!) over the integrity of a teacher. show less

Nothing But The Truth, a Newberry Honor book by AVI, is a realistic fiction book about an arrogant ninth grade teenager who blames his ineligibility for the school track team on his English teacher. What ensues is a false story about Phillip being kicked out of his English class for singing the National Anthem. Mrs. Narwin kick’s Phillip out of her class for being disrespectful during the playing of the National Anthem, and is kicked out of class on three different occasions because Phillip continues to be disrespectful in order to prove a point to his English teacher. A sly school board candidate uses the story to benefit his campaign in a newspaper article, and the local story gains national attention. As a result, the best English show more teacher is asked to take a leave of absence, Phillip is so alienated from his peers that he ends up in private school, and it is discovered he doesn’t even know the words to the National Anthem. Every high schooler, or even jr. higher, can relate to having a teacher who is tough on them. In true fashion, this toughness may be misconstrued by the student to mean the teacher is out to get the student. AVI does an excellent job portraying the truth in this documentary novel. Phillip is obviously a self-absorbed teen, who won’t take any of the responsibility for his troubles. His true character is revealed and his shame is made evident, however, by the end of the book. The students around him see Phillip for what he is and what he has done, causing the reader to reflect on how self-pity and self-absorbtion can get one into trouble. Refusing to take responsibility is a chronic problem in today’s society, as it always has been a difficult pill to swallow. It is much easier to blame someone else for one’s problems rather than looking inward, and accepting the consequences for one’s own actions. In Phillip’s cases, however, he seems to create more problems for himself instead of gaining his spot on the track team. show less

A book with mixed feelings. It's so frustrating and irritating and WRONG that you want to throw it when you're done.
But that's what makes this a good book. Because I think this is plausible.

Parents who are squashed by their jobs "want something different for their kids". THEIR kids aren't just going to roll over and get bullied (like they do). THEIR kid is going to stand up to a teacher and sing the star spangled banner.

Right, couldn't you see that happening?? Can't you see a certain type of parent reacting that way.

But for no one to support the teacher. It's just hard to read. It's hard to see, but is it far from the truth?! I want to believe it is. I want to believe a school district, vice principal, principal and school show more administration would support the teacher. But, am I positive?

No.

A book that makes you think - even if you cringe and want to toss it - is still a good book. If we remember just how easy it was to do this wrong - to slip so easily, maybe we can avoid it and be able to say emphatically "This could NEVER happen!" show less

This book didn't do anything except piss me off. You've got a Willy Loman dad teaching his kid that he doesn't have to take responsibility for a damned thing, a lazy administration, an innocent teacher, and a public out for her blood. I know the book is trying to make some point about different versions of the truth but to me, the kid is clearly in the wrong and no one bothers to teach him any kind of responsibility. I wanted to kick just about everyone in this book in the junk. The only real message I got out of this is that lazy, entitled assholes will continue to get their way because everyone else is stupid enough to keep giving it to them.

Nothing but the Truth by Avi follows the unfolding events after a teacher has a boy suspended for humming along with the Star Spangled Banner every morning in homeroom. Through "documentary evidence", namely transcripts, letters and interviews, Avi presents the points of view of the different involved characters: the 9th grader, the English teacher, the Principal, and so forth.

My mother in law worked for twenty years as a high school math teacher. She describes teenagers as elementary school children in adult bodies. Clearly that's the case here with Philip Malloy. Being transferred from a rather liberal homeroom where the request for quiet isn't enforced, to a very strict room where I suspect an accidentally dropped pencil during the show more music would be cause of a trip to the office, is a rather disconcerting proposition for a teenager or for anyone.

Coming in midway through a year and not being party to the initial introduction of this homeroom's rules is surely a recipe for disaster. Add in the boy's age and it's only natural that he would continue to hum even when asked not to.

From the parents' point of view — the rule seems rather arbitrary and there's no way a punishment can be fairly executed if different teachers have different rules for how to behave during the national anthem. If I were Philip's parents, I would probably react in a similar fashion and continue to go up the school district's chain of command.

The teacher, too, is probably burned out. And she probably resents not having a consistently followed rule either. The principal probably has never addressed the staff on acceptable behavior during the anthem. That leaves her world against the students. When things get blown out of proportion because the principal doesn't react sensibly, it's unfortunate but realistic that it would be the teacher who takes the fall. It's a frustrating and painful read only because everyone's own stubbornness plays into the over all tragedy of a student's career nearly derailed and a teacher's otherwise good career forced to end under such unfortunate circumstances. show less