Sawyerr, Hannah V. Truth Is. Amulet/Abrams, 09/2025. 461 [+14]pp. Fiction. Trade $21.99. 978-1-4197-7683-0. GRADES 10–12. OUTSTANDING.
Black high school senior Truth Bangura uses her poetry journal to chronicle a difficult school year, one in which she deals with pregnancy, abortion, an unstable home life, and an uncertain future. Her poetry helps process these experiences and, ultimately, leads her to a place of community, freedom, and self-actualization. With the poetic prose, as if one is reading Truth’s journal, the reader cannot help but become as invested in Truth’s poetry as they are in her story. Sawyerr allows her character to revisit and revise her poems over time, showing not only the work that goes into crafting a poem but also allowing the reader to experience Truth’s evolution as she finds her place in the world. Speaking with unflinching honesty, Truth is a thoughtful and likeable character with a healthy sense of self, one who is not easily swayed by the opinions of others: this allows readers to appreciate Truth’s choices, whether or not they personally agree with them. Front matter includes an author’s note and teen pregnancy resources; back matter includes poetry-writing prompts and the author’s acknowledgements.
Jennifer Taylor—Palo Alto City Library