To Tell the Truth

Deborah Dowson is a children’s librarian in Caledon East, Ontario.

When Benjamin Gates, a primary-grade student, puts the maxim “Honesty
is the best policy” to the test, his classmates respond with anger and
sometimes violence. Soon the whole class has stopped speaking to him.
Benjamin looks for a way to make peace and at the same time maintain his
truth-telling integrity.

This large-format picture book, which uses simple vocabulary to present
a complex issue, could be used in a primary classroom as a springboard
for a discussion about honesty. The illustrations, although not
exceptional, effectively express the various emotions experienced by the
children. Some of the incidents, such as a girl hitting Benjamin when he
says her new dress is “goofy,” are recounted in a matter-of-fact way
that does not address the serious feelings aroused. When Benjamin comes
home each day with a painted face, a black eye, and a bandage on his
nose, his family responds by offering him sweets and the vague
reassurance that things will be better tomorrow. The moral dilemma is
left for Benjamin to solve and for the reader to evaluate.

Recommended for use under the guidance of a parent or teacher, this
book is not a first-choice purchase.