All the Truth That's In Me

Bibliographic Information
Title: All the Truth that's in Me
Author: Julie Berry
Type of Media: text
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Cpyright Date: September 26, 2013
ISBN: 978-0670786152
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Curriculum Ties: Cult Societies in History
Reading Level: Lexile 640
Interest Age: 13+

Plot Summary

Judith disappeared from her rural society two years ago only to come back mutilated and unable to speak. When a war finds it's way to her community's door step she is forced to make a decision which has the ability to impact the rest of her life. What would you do if the only person who could save the town was the man who held you captive and cut out your tongue? Judith makes the difficult choice to go for help. In the process setting off a chain of events that makes her vulnerable and forces her to find a way to stand up for her self.

Critical Evaluation
Berry has a way of revealing facts to the readers piece by piece in both the present and past through the use of flashbacks. All the Truth That's in Me uses Flashbacks in a way that sets the mood of the story, adding to the elements of surprise making for a suspenseful mystery which keeps the reader guessing throughout the story.
There is some irony within the story when it comes to the fact that Judith is ignored and treated as if her presence does not matter. This treatment leads those around her to misjudge her ability and due to that they are not careful with what they say and do around her which in the end is the undoing of some. The negative treatment Judith puts up with ends up ironically aiding her in getting justice. This book is wonderfully written and it is deserving of all the honors it has received.

Reader's Annotation
Come walk through the woods with one who is despised by those who should love her. Allow yourself to walk through her memories to find out what really happened.

Author Biography
From the author:
"I grew up on a 50-acre farm in Western New York as the youngest of seven children. We grew much of our own food and harvested eggs from our chickens. We also kept turkeys, pigs, rabbits, and oodles of dogs and cats. I was free to ramble around our pond full of frogs and turtles, and wade in our crick full of minnows and crawdads. I was lucky to be the caboose kid in a big family full of avid readers, with a mother who loved poetry.
I had a perfect little library of children’s classics to reread to my heart’s content. I think I came close to memorizing Charlotte’s Web, the Little House books, the Great Brain series, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, The Secret Garden, Just So Stories, Heidi, Alice in Wonderland, and A Little Princess.
In college I met my husband Phil. We married young and started our family soon after. Now we’re the parents of four boys, including three teenagers, and we don’t know where the time went. To keep the gender balance more even in our home, we have two girl cats.
After my fourth son was born, I decided that since my family dreams were now well underway, it was time to pursue writing novels. I went back to school and earned an M.F.A. in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of the Fine Arts, where I learned from many talented and committed writers for young people. The Amaranth Enchantment was the second novel I wrote in school, and the first one to sell to a publisher. Since then I’ve written Secondhand Charm, All the Truth That’s In Me, and the Splurch Academy for Disruptive Boys series with my older sister, Sally Faye Gardner, as the illustrator. All the Truth That’s In Me, my first YA novel, is my most recent release...Now I’m home full-time, keeping the cats company by day while I write, and chasing the boys around in the afternoons and evenings. If you want to know if I’m working on another book now, the answer is always, 'Yes.'"

Berry, J. (n.d.). About Me. Retrieved from http://www.julieberrybooks.com/about

Book Talk Ideas

• Cult societies
• Abuse
• Self-worth

Possible Challenges

• Sexual content
• Religious content
• Violence

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

Access to honest reviews from trusted sources

Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

Understand the material so you can explain the use of the book as a good talking point for serious and sensitive issues

A lot of times people just want their concerns heard, so make sure you listen

If they are still persistent be able to offer them a reconsideration form

 

Reason for Inclusion

This book is deserving of being included within this collection for being a mysterious thriller that keeps you guessing. It has also been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, is a 2014 Edgar Award nominee, a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Top Ten, a Junior Library Guild Selection, a School Library Journal Best Book of 2013, a Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book for 2013, a Horn Book Fanfare 2013 title, and a 2014 TAYSHAS Top Ten Pick.