Boarding the plane for a summer visit with grandparents in New Jersey, Thea is given a notebook with instructions from her mother to write four truths a day; at the end of her vacation Thea will have 100 true things. Complicating this seemingly simple directive is the fact that Theodora Grumman, self proclaimed liar, has a secret. Begrudgingly balancing vacation with family obligations, Thea spends time babysitting nosy 7 year-old cousin Jocelyn and interpreting the truth. Thea’s notebook account of the girl’s initially harmless day jaunts ultimately discloses their relatives are harboring secrets; while the same entries begin to subtly reveal layers of Thea’s secret, the root of her talent for lying. Schumacher’s characters are ripe with personality; Thea is short tempered and often rude, and from eccentric aunts to annoying cousins, secondary characters are equally charming and flawed. Thea’s secret would have been better detailed outside of her notebook, but when all the lies, half-truths, and secrets are revealed, she demonstrates a maturity and understanding gained during her summer visit.
One of the things I liked best about this book was the underlying theme of secrets and lies. From keeping secrets to not telling for "their own good," in some form or another we all tell that little white lie. Schumacher made her characters believable, every day people. And most importantly, without being preachy, she made sure the adults were not exempt from retribution for keeping their secrets and telling lies to Jocelyn and Thea. I would have liked having Thea's secret revealed in conversation as opposed to thorugh her notebook, but aside from that enjoyed reading the 100 truths.
Tags: Julie Schumacher, The Book of One Hundred Truths, Juvenile fiction
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