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Summary: Great book to use in the classroom!
Review: Although this book has gotten mixed reviews from my colleagues, I believe it to be one that would provide for some interesting discussion in the middle or high school classroom. Some of my colleagues said that the plot was a bit contrived, and while I agree with them, I think that it would encourage such good comments that I am willing to overlook that.The book would engage students in fruitful discussion in the following themes: First Amendment rights, making and breaking rules, ethical journalism and media hype, student/teacher relations, and politics, especially politics within a school. It's also a quick read!
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Summary: The basic plot: everyone is looking for the truth
Review: I had to read this book for school, so maybe, just maybe, that fact soured my experience. What I liked most: that Philip HUMMED the words, he didn't sing them because he didn't know them. He just hummed them to annoy his teacher, Miss Narwin. He was made out to be all patriotic, and all he was a spoiled little brat. What I didn't like was the way it was written--in diary form. The sentences were all choppy, and the view was so one-sided. It made you wonder if you were even reading the truth. As for the title: this book is so full of lies. The thing is, everyone in this novel is searching for the truth. That's all they want-- Nothing but the Truth. All the lies and all the confusion and all the misconceptions brought out so many different feelings-annoyance, frustration (why is Philip such a lying brat?!), anger, relief. I guess that's a good thing though, since this novel could stir emotions so much. Compliments to the author. by Irie, 15 years old (I read it in the 8th grade, I'm going to the 10th)
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Summary: A very good book but it got confusing at times
Review: This book was very interesting but confusing. You have to pay really close attention to what is happening at all times. The book has a lot of humor in it as well, their is an on-going fight between philip and his teacher Ms. Narwin. Believe it or not, this hole book is about if he can sing/hum the pled of alleagince. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?
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Summary: This is a book about those small lies we believe are okay.
Review: As a former educator of young children and a commentor on today's ethical standards, I find this book to be a marvelous teaching tool and learning experience. Unfortunately, I noticed that the emphasis, in the other reviews, is on the relativity of truth. Today's: what is truth, let alone the whole truth? In my opinion the real crux of the matter is exactly what Avi says it is: a story of the tiny little distortions of truth; the little white lies we are so tempted to accept as part of smoothing the edges of contemporary life. This book very cleverly shows what those small distortions of the real truth can yield. In the end, the real problem and, therefore, its solution, was buried under a slowly growing avalanche of variations on the truth. It's a marvelous parable.
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Summary: Engaging and realistically possible
Review: The format surprised me at first, but once I got into the book I found it intriguing. Avi uses memos, dialogues, etc. to make the story seem more "truthful" or more like a documentary. However, it is interesting to see how even this style works in being sympathetic toward characters such as Miss Narwin and Philip at the same time. I think his point is well made that nothing written is ever completely the truth.
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Summary: A great book about today's media
Review: I read this book in 3 years ago, when I was in the sixth grade. Although this book was generally easy to understand, it made me think. When I re-read it, I understood what the general theme was about- today's media that is always misleaded by so many opinions and points of view. All of what's in the story COULD happen, and probably something like this HAS happened many times. The story never gets boring, and is a VERY good book. Even adults should read it to see what could happen in today's world.
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Summary: big surprise ending
Review: A lot of misunderstandings happen and yet it's nodoby's fault. This book shows us that we shouldn't generalize situations; That truth has many faces and sometimes we need to observe very carefully to see which is the truth.
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Summary: Riveting page turner!
Review: This book was truly a masterpiece. Even though this book is fictional, I could easily imagine what was going through the characters' heads.
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Summary: A little misleading
Review: I had to read this book for a report, and I did find it an alright book, yet it was not what I percieved it to be. I thought it was supposed to be a documentary novel, where's that
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Summary: This book has a powerful, sad ending
Review: Philip Malloy, a ninth-grader at Harrison High School, is in Bernie Lunser's homeroom class and likes it. Even though the principal, Dr. Doane, askes everyone to stand at "respectful, silent attention", the homeroom teacher leads out by NOT doing so. But when Philip is transferred to Peg Narwin's homeroom, a serious, but fair and true literature-loving English teacher, homeroom changes drastically for both teacher and student. Philip receives a D in English due to his neglect and hatred for the subject and the teacher. He thought nothing of it until Coach Jamison won't allow him to try out for the track team because of a school rule that if a student is not receiving passing grades (at least a C-) they will not be allowed to try out for any sport. Philip hums to the audio tape of the national anthem, as had been allowed in Mr. Lunser's class. Miss Narwin views this a disturbance and sends Philip to the vice-principal, Dr. Palleni, who tells Philip not to do it again and lets him go. Philip goes home and tells his parents what happened and the (arguing) couple tell him to keep on "singing". It is, in their eyes, patriotic--"the way they brought him up!" Philip hums again and the teacher again sends him to the vice-principals who sends him home with a two day suspension. Philip's parents are outraged and go to a runner of the school board ellection for help--they know Ted Griffen won't miss a chance to serve his own ends. And they're right. Soon a newspaper reporter shows up and gets only half the story, printing a one-sided article that hurts one of the school's best teachers. Philip receives all kinds of mail, praising the "patriotic" boy, from all over the country. Miss Narwin recieves hate-mail, and eventually resigns. Philip is transferred to a different school because he can't stand all the classmates' smart remarks about how patriotic he is and calling him the Uncle Sam of the school. He uses the money from his college fund and goes to a private school with no track team. When asked if he would like to lead the class in singing the national anthem, he answers, "I don't know the words."
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