Lately I’ve been thinking that adults need this book more than kids. I think all of the adults out there who didn’t grow up with instant access to information (I’m one of them) should pick up this book and give it a try. Then we should pass it on to all the kids in our lives to give them a helping hand with sifting through the mountain of information that is always at their fingertips- is it the truth? a lie? some confusing mixture of both? One of the most important lessons we all need to learn and remember is that just because it’s on the internet, or written in an article, or broadcast on TV, doesn’t mean it’s true.
What is it? Two Truths and a Lie, by Laurie Ann Thompson and Ammi-Joan Paquette
Who is it for? Upper elementary students to adults (it’s fun!)
Why should I read it? We should all read it. It’s a fun way to teach critical thinking.
Each section of Two Truths and a Lie has three stories- two are true, and one is a lie. Which one is the lie? It’s fun to read all three stories, try to guess, and then do some research (and critical thinking!) to figure out the truth. One sixth grader I used this book with exclaimed, “This one is true! It has photos!” After doing some reading detective work he was shocked to find out it was the lie. To make things even more challenging, when you google some of these stories the first thing to come up is either a website or photo that looks factual, but is actually a hoax. If you’re a teacher, the layout of the book makes it easy to use with a class or small group- lots of interesting photos and drawings. Read the three stories together, and then assign groups of students to research each one. Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson have included excellent research tips at the end of the book on using internet search engines (they don’t have a “truth filter”), checking sources, using the library, asking questions, and using your own logic.
Why Should I Read It? 