The Faraway Truth
by Janae Marks
Interest age: 9 to 11
Reading age: 8+
Published by Chicken House, 2020
About this book
Zoe loves to bake, and dreams of being on a children’s cookery TV show - but just as she begins to follow those dreams, a letter arrives from her father who has been in prison all her life, revealing that he may not have committed the crime he is in prison for. Zoe decides to try and prove his innocence by following a cold trail to a missing witness.
This is a fresh, socially-aware story, relevant for children in 2020. Intelligent young readers will find plenty to discuss: this would be a great story to use in lower secondary school, to ignite debate around justice and law. The dynamics of being in a mixed-race family are insightfully explored: Zoe must ‘perform’ to show curious passers-by that her white Dad is really related to her - a situation that children in mixed-race families may identify with. Racism is discussed in a natural way, as it comes up in conversation between people of colour. With its uplifting ending, this is a great choice for readers who might not yet be old enough for Angie Thomas’ books.
More books like this
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What Momma Left Me
by Renée Watson
11 to 14 years
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Fright Club: Let’s Boo This!
by Sibéal Pounder, illustrated by George Ermos
9 to 14 years
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Dance of Resistance
by Catherine Johnson, illustrated by Katie Hickey
9 to 14 years
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Letters to a Dog
by Piers Torday, illustrated by Alice McKinley
9 to 14 years
Lists of recommended reads
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Books about family members in prison
Many books are pure entertainment, but sometimes it's important to read stories that reflect reality. These books are set in the real world, and the main characters have a family member in prison. They are aimed at a variety of age groups, and all are fiction. I Send You a Hug is the exception to this, as it's more general. It's about loving someone even when you're far away, which might be useful to read with young children.