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

At first I thought the story didn't ring true (the initial diary page from the main character, Philip Malloy, was just a tool to set up the story and nothing like this 15-year-old boy would write in a diary, and he's not the type of kid who would write in a diary anyway) but I'm glad I stuck with the book. Even though the book has become dated (memos rather than emails, no cell phones or texting) the main message felt very current. Philip is looking forward to running track, but does not enjoy English class and so acts like a smart alec in class. Because his grade is low in English, he's told by the track coach that he can't try out, even though he was expected to be a star. Furthermore, when homerooms get swapped mid-year, he moves show more from a teacher who loves to joke around to his more serious English teacher. When the morning announcements are read and the National Anthem is played, he hums along (to be funny). His former homeroom teacher encouraged funny behavior, but the new teacher thinks he is being disrespectful. His parents, who don't know the full story, think he is singing out of patriotism and are enraged that he is being told not to sing and encourage him to continue. From there, things spiral out of control. He is suspended, the story is picked up and becomes national news, and radio hosts enflame the issue. Soon the teacher and the school are receiving nasty telegrams accusing them of being unpatriotic. Everyone is unhappy, but no one sees what happened in its entirety.

This makes a great point about how people frequently self-righteously jump on the bandwagon of an issue based on just a few one-sided facts, and how this tendency enables things to get out of control. I particularly liked that the book did not end with a tidy and satisfying wrap-up, but has long-lasting negative consequences. I hope students read this and learn to be more probing when they hear news bites. show less

I disliked the way the book was structured, and I found all of the characters unlikable. Perhaps a different structure would have allowed for more character development, resulting in more sympathetic characters. Of course, that might be the point of the book, which is valid but doesn’t make for an enjoyable read.

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.