Harriet Tells the Truth

 

A couple of years ago I was sent an advanced copy of Just Harriet, and was asked if I'd be interested in writing an Educator's Guide for the book. Agreeing to write the guide, I knew I was going to spend a lot of time reading, thinking about, and getting to know Harriet. I read the book alone, aloud to my third grade class, and alone again, probably a couple more times. And I have to be honest, I didn't love Harriet in the beginning. Then along came book two, Harriet Spies, and I started to find myself drifting closer to Harriet as she dug into island mysteries and made a new friend. We still weren't exactly besties, but something was certainly growing. By the time I closed the final chapter in Harriet Tells the Truth, I could truly say that I love Harriet. The girl who started out as a self-proclaimed liar, was forced to step out of her regular patterns, and began changing her perceptions of others and of herself. These stories are deeper than you might expect when glancing at these bright and cheerful covers. 

I highly recommend this trilogy to readers in grades 1-4. I read Just Harriet aloud to a first grade class last year and they loved it. Teachers, add it to your classroom library! Parents, Harriet is edgy and I find kids drawn to her. Kids know they should tell the truth, and when young readers get to shadow a character that openly lies, well, that's a little bit of naughty fun! But there is so much more than Harriet's lying that evolves. I love the relationships she has with the older women she finds herself surrounded by. They are all different, and they each have important lessons to share with Harriet.

At roughly 200 pages each, these books have nice white space on the pages and have illustrations sprinkled throughout, making them perfect for readers that are ready to flex their chapter book reading muscles. They also make excellent read alouds!

Now for the star of the day:

Harriet Tells the Truth is live and in the world! 

ABOUT THE BOOK

 

HARRIET TELLS THE TRUTH marks the third and final title in the funny and heartwarming middle grade series by Elana K. Arnold that began with JUST HARRIET, and continued with HARRIET SPIES. With this title, readers will return once more to world of Marble Island and its quirky cast of characters. 

 

There are some things you should know about Harriet Wermer:

• She used to lie a lot, but not anymore.
• Seriously, she only tells the truth now.
• Even though she hadn’t wanted to come to Marble Island in the first place, now she

doesn’t want to leave.

 

It’s the truth. With her mom and new baby brother home from the hospital, it’s almost

time for Harriet to pack up and head home from Marble Island and all the friends she’s made.

But Harriet doesn’t have time to think about that—not when she discovers that Moneypenny,

her Nanu’s adorable basset hound, has been poisoned!

 

Harriet suspects the culprit is one of the guests staying at Nanu’s bed-and-breakfast, and she

and her best friend, Clarence, are once again on the case. But when someone else falls ill,

Harriet’s going to have to sleuth harder, spy sneakier, and be willing to see that sometimes

the truth is more complicated than it seems.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Elana K. Arnold is the award-winning author of many books for children and teens including Just Harriet, Harriet Spies, The House that Wasn’t There, Sydney Taylor Book Award winner The Blood Years, Printz Honor winner Damsel, the National Book Award finalist What Girls are Made Of, and the Global Read Aloud selection A Boy Called Bat and its sequels. She is a member of the faculty at Hamline University’s MFA in writing for children and young adults program, and lives in Long Beach, CA, with her husband, two children, and a menagerie of animals. You can find her online
at www.elanakarnold.com

 

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

 

Dung (pronounced Dzung) Ho was born and raised in Hue citadel, Vietnam, where she studied graphic design at the Arts University. She is the New York Times-bestselling illustrator of many

books for children, including Joanna Ho’s Eyes That Kiss in the Corners and Laura Ruby’s Me and Ms. Too. She finds inspiration in nature: the beauty of plants, flowers, and leaves. She also

loves to draw interesting characters with unique personalities. She now lives in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. When she’s not drawing, she loves spending time cooking (eating), watching movies,

and tending her plants. Visit her at www.behance.net/hanhdungor follow her on Instagram @dunghanhho.

 

BLOG TOUR STOPS

 

January 31 Nerdy Book Club @nerdybookclub

February 2 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers @grgenius

February 5 Bluestocking Thinking @bluestockingthinking

February 6 Teachers Who Read @teachers_read

February 7 Maria's Melange@mariaselke

 

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