Why am I passionate about this?
My southern mama raised me to be honest; she always knew the truth and spoke the truth. I soon found out that being honest could clear my name—or get me in trouble. It could draw me closer to my friends—or hurt their feelings. Now that I’m grown and have children of my own, I understand and appreciate my mama’s emphasis on truth-telling from an entirely new angle. And as a writer, honest storytelling helps me write more authentic characters and connect more authentically with my readers. In my personal and professional life, my “honest” upbringing has helped me recognize other truth-tellers—and the not-so-truthful. (I’m eyeballing you, politicians!)
Donna's book list on honesty
Why did Donna love this book?
This book is NOT about telling the truth—well, not at first glance, anyway. And because the author is a little sneaky in his presentation, he caught me…hook, line, and sinker. Klassen, author/illustrator extraordinaire, pulls me into the story, daring me to turn the page and see the fate of the thieving main character. What I didn’t expect, though, was the betrayal from a “trusted” source.
Learning who can be trusted to be honest is almost as hard as learning to be honest ourselves. I’ve experienced that lesson a few times in my life—and I’d rather not learn it again. This story makes me laugh and think. It is highly recommended for those who like a good lesson hidden in the weeds. (For the record, I do not want any of these characters to run for office.)
2 authors picked This Is Not My Hat as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
A sneaky fish learns a lesson in crime and punishment in the bestselling, multiple award-winning sequel to I Want My Hat Back.
Winner of the Caldecott Medal and Kate Greenaway Medal 2014
From the creator of the bestselling I Want My Hat Back and Sam and Dave Dig a Hole comes the story of a tiny fish who proudly wears a blue hat. It fits him perfectly. Problem is, trouble could be following close behind... So it's a good thing that the enormous fish he took it from won't wake up. And even if he does, it's not as though…