“The Truth As Told By Mason Buttle”

by Leslie Connor “Mason Buttle is the biggest, sweatiest kid in his grade, and everyone knows he can barely read or write. Mason’s learning disabilities are compounded by grief. Fifteen months ago, Mason’s best friend, Benny Kilmartin, turned up dead in the Buttle family’s orchard. An investigation drags on, and Mason, honest as the day is long, can’t understand why Lieutenant Baird won’t believe the story Mason has told about that day.

Both Mason and his new friend, tiny Calvin Chumsky, are relentlessly bullied by the other boys in their neighborhood, so they create an underground club space for themselves. When Calvin goes missing, Mason finds himself in trouble again. He’s desperate to figure out what happened to Calvin, and eventually, Benny.

But will anyone believe him?”

This junior book cover caught my eye and as I read the story, it caught my heart as well. Wonderful quotes from the book:

"Knowing what you love is smart." and “Say what you will. But a person just cannot know what he doesn’t know. And you can’t always see that a bad thing is going to happen before it happens. If you could, no bad would ever come.” Family, Friends, Loyalty and Love all wrapped up in a heart-warming story! The story contains a darker theme, one that involves bullying and terrible secrets, but I absolutely loved this story and how honesty and being true to yourself prevailed. Mason tells this story with such honesty, integrity and naivety that the reader cannot help but root for him. I also feel it can also open the eyes of the reader about special education students. Mason’s life may literally be crumbling around him but his inner strength shines through like a beacon to help you out of the darkness. At times, Mason seems very simple yet underlying is always his ability to see the best in people. There were characters in this story I wanted to give a good talking to but in the end, some were redeemable and Mason’s unshaking steadiness helped guide me through the story. In this story, there are a couple of mysteries to solve, bullies to run from and maybe stand up to, grief and depression to battle, hope to find and learning disabilities to learn about and work with. Tying everything together …. is friendship. And what could ever be better than an honest, true and stand-by-you friend?! Heidi Y.