The Honest Truth (Scholastic Gold)

I went back to read Gemeinhart‘s first offering after enjoying his later works so much. He packs a lot into this story of friendship, loyalty, danger, tragedy and love and manages to keep all the elements working. He never lets you stray far from the question of whether you owe a friend unquestioned loyalty when you are conflicted about the path he is taking. An open-ended question leads to an open-ended answer, making this story worthy of discussion between readers of any age. And if you are a dog lover (and even if you aren’t) you will definitely take Beau to your heart.

Mark is dying. Full of anger and bitterness, he leaves home with his dog, Beau. He wants to go to Mt. Rainier, hundreds of miles from his home, to climb to the top. Perhaps for the adventure of a short lifetime? The boy and his dog meet many people during their trip. Not all of them are good. As a matter of fact, some are very bad. But they also meet good people who helped them along the way. This is not a coming of age story. This is the story of an angry, dying boy. He just wants to get away from everybody and die alone on that mountain. There are two important relationships in the story. Between Mark and Beau; and Mark and Jesse. The trip is really about finding what's important. Mark was selfish at the beginning, leaving behind the people who loved him and taking his beloved dog on a dangerous trip. His anger at being sick made him bitter. He continues to feel this way until the very last moment on that mountain when he finally realizes that he wants to live, to see his family again, to get Beau to safety. Mark didn't set out to find truth but he found it on that lonely mountain.

My son is reading this book with his class during Virtual Learning. He said it is an amazing book with very sad points. The child goes through alot and his friends and family worry. The point of the book is to teach children that there will be struggles and hard times in life, but to never give up. That if you just move forward and not give up things will get better. That is how his teacher explained it to him anyway. 5th grade level

My thirteen years old daughter and I read this book together. I read out loud to her at night still and we love it. Don't see it ending any time soon. Our dog is a big part of the reading, curled up at my feet, and this book had us bawling like babies several times. If your child loves dogs or appreciates a well -crafted story, which is all I can handle reading to her, buy the book. My daughter's favorite book is the author's Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise. Thought I'd take a chance on this one. So glad I did.

I don't think there is any writer right now more important to children's literature than Dan Gemeinhart. As a librarian, I am sure that he discovered -- as I did-- that students don't want sugar-coated or sacharine literature again. They want literature that helps them navigate their way through the real world and all the sadness and perils that define that world. What Gemeinhart is exceptionally good at is taking these stories and elevating them to the utmost level of upliftment. Yes, this is a sad story of a boy who has cancer, but children want to work their way through some understanding of the problem -- not have it swept under the rug. While the mood is sometimes sad, it is always tense, the story is filled with unexpected surprises. Ultimately this is a story of hope and friendship; loyalty and love. It's a story about taking chances -- even when life seems to be at its lowest. Gemeinhart demonstrates just how stories uplift us. The last chapter of the book is simply extraordinarily beautiful.

This is a book you read in one sitting. It was recommended to me by my 10-year old grandson. Well-written it keeps you on the edge of your seat, holding your breath trying to get to the next part of the story so you can hopefully breathe a sigh of relief.

Oh my gosh, this book really gave me...hope. I could sit and cry for a day after reading this book. This is my second time reading it and I am again amazed at the extreme craftsmanship that went into this gorgeous creation. Would read it a million times again!

This middle grades novel had a lot of potential. Mark, a boy facing a recurrence of cancer, runs away from home to climb Mt. Rainier. He is joined by his dog and Mark's journey is intercut with scenes from his best friend Jessie's point of view as she struggles with whether or not to reveal where Mark has gone.Ultimately, I think this book has several problems. It's way too short. I expected a story about a boy climbing Mt. Rainier. I expected something like "Hatchet" or "My Side of the Mountain." Most of the story is about Mark's journey to Mt. Rainier which would have been compelling too, but again the story is too short to develop the characters in the way they deserve.For example Mark and Jessie love haiku. They frequently communicate in a secret haiku language. That's a great and interesting characterization which never goes anywhere. Because we join the story after Mark has already run away, we don't get to see Mark and Jessie interacting. Why are they friends? Why does Jessie struggle with Mark's secret?Not a bad book. But it could have been so much more.

I love this book it’s a great read it was in fact the first ever book I could actually finish but the problem is that it came all creased and dirty I don’t know what happened to it when it was getting delivered to me to end up like this it’s nit a big deal but I did expect it to be in good condition when it art but anyway over all the book is amazing and worth the read in general

I defy anyone to read this without crying!A truly wonderful story, about a boy who is fed up of cancer; fed up of pity; fed up of being wrapped in cotton wool etc etc.He decides to run away and climb a mountain - not caring that it could be the last thing he does.His dog goes with him. In true loyal fashion, the dog will never leave him...Get the tissues ready

My daughter 9 saw this book in W H Smiths and was desperate for it. Much cheaper on Amazon. The book itself was a great read so much so that I read it myself. My daughter is a mature reader so may not suit some 9 year olds.

Quite simply brilliant. This book captivates its audience and carries you along so you are right there beside Mark and Beau as they take on a reckless challenge and find more of life in 240 pages that most people discover in a lifetime.

It’s the correct book