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The 2011 Willow Awards

Snow Willow Nominee

Home Truths

By Jill MacLean.

Dancing Cat Books, 2010.
9781897151969 (pbk)

Currently3.24623115578/5 Stars
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Rated by: 199 users

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Comments (10)

Brick is almost fifteen. He is saving money to leave home when he turns sixteen, to escape his abusive father. Brick tries to protect his four-year-old sister, but is she really his responsibility? Can he recognize that his own behaviour is starting to look like his father’s?

About the Author

Jill MacLean is from Bedford, NS

Visit the Author's website

Shortly after the publication of her 2003 poetry collection, The Brevity of Red (2003), Jill Maclean's nine-year-old grandson Stuart asked her to write him a book with hockey and Skidoos in it. The result was The Nine Lives of Travis Keating (2008) which won the 2009 Ann Connor Brimer Award, was shortlisted for the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children, 2010 Hackmatack, Silver Birch and Diamond Willow Awards, and was a KIND Children’s Honorable Mention Book for the Humane Society of the United States. Its 2009 sequel, The Present Tense of Prinny Murphy, won the 2010 Ann Connor Brimer Award. Both books are set in Newfoundland, where Jill's family lived for eighteen years.

Jill now makes her home in Nova Scotia, which is the setting for her third novel. Always an avid reader, she is delighted to rediscover the world of children’s literature. In her free time she gardens, canoes and hikes.

Visit the publisher's website, http://www.dancingcatbooks.com/

Book Reviews

CM Magazine

Suggested Activities

Pacer Center’s Teens Against Bullying is a great site to learn more about the prevention of bullying, and what you can do to help change attitudes.
Brick decides to learn karate so that he can protect himself. Investigate the possibility of taking a martial arts or self-defense class in your community.
Interested in babysitting as a part-time job? The important information here might help you to get started.Find some more great ideas here.

Comments

Comment #1 posted on March 26, 2011, 10:13 AM

I loved the character of Brick in this book.
He was bullied by his father and he became a bully but with help he dealt with his problems when he was given some support and help.

nancy, st.jerome

Comment #2 posted on December 14, 2011, 9:51 AM

I really like this book! It is so real. It's hard to believe people live like this. It has description and puts an image in my mind. the only thing I was desipionted with was the ending, it was not what I thought would happen. I highly recommend this book!

Sarah, Cut Knife High School

Last Edit: December 14, 2011, 11:22:42 AM by kraln

Comment #3 posted on December 14, 2011, 1:21 PM

Dear Nancy St. Jerome,
I'm really glad you liked the book. It was a hard one to write, felt very dark. I have no idea where the character of Floyd came from, for instance.
My fourth book doesn't deal with bullies, and is written in free verse - I wanted a challenge! It's still being revised.
Thanks for writing,
Jill (MacLean)

Jill MacLean, author

Comment #4 posted on December 14, 2011, 1:23 PM

Dear Sarah,
Thanks for posting a comment on Home Truths. I'm glad you liked the book. I'm really interested in what you didn't like about the ending - can you tell me? I didn't want too tidy an ending, all the loose ends tied up in a bow. But maybe you think I went too far into leaving things open?
Best wishes,
Jill

Jill MacLean, author

Comment #5 posted on December 15, 2011, 9:42 PM

Jill,
I get what your saying about the loose ends. It just left me hanging to much, I loved the characters so much I wanted to know what happened to them. I think if you wrote a sequal lots of people would by it, especially me! Great Book!

Sarah, Cut knife high school

Comment #6 posted on December 19, 2011, 11:32 AM

I really liked this book too. It had lots and lots of great detail and it kept me wondering what was gonna happen next. It wasnt predictable at all! Sometimes after I read the chapters I didnt want to put down the book. The ending kind of left me hanging though. Otherwise it was a good book.

Emilee, Cut Knife High School

Comment #7 posted on December 19, 2011, 11:57 AM

I loved the book! You used so much description in the characters.I totally get a picture in my minf when i read this book. I Was kid of disapointed in the ending, because I would like to know if Brick ran away or is now a couple with Cassie. I highly recommend this book though, amzing book!

Tiarra, Cut Knife High School

Comment #8 posted on December 20, 2011, 8:25 PM

I could not put this book down! It was such a painfully honest look inside the life of a troubled teen. The characters seemed so real, I felt as if I really knew Brick in real life by the end of the book. I would love to read a sequel and find out how Brick and Cassie's lives turn out.

Mrs. Whitbread, Cut Knife High School (teacher)

Comment #9 posted on February 16, 2012, 9:38 AM

This was the best book ever! I liked how the author directed the book to teens like me. I really want to read more from this author.

Derrick, St. Mary

Comment #10 posted on March 02, 2012, 11:47 PM

I just finished reading this book, finished it in 2 nights. I couldn't stop reading! It's such a great book, and I would definitely recommend it. The end kinda left me hanging though, I don't really know what happened? Did Brick run away when he turned sixteen? Did he take Cassie? Did he go to live with Kendra? Did Floyd ever go to jail? What did Rolf and Docker do? How did the date go with Tully? How's Cassie doing? Did she get a puppy? I would love to have these questions answered, it's really bothering me. If you could write a second one, oh that would be the best. And is this based on a true story? Thank you, and it was a wonderful book. I admire your imagination.

B Anonymous, Canda