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Who wouldn't want a fairy godmother? But when June's puts her under a spell where she cannot tell a lie, the truth is middle school just got a lot harder.
The truth hurts. Sixth-grader June Jackson learned that lesson early. (She told her BFF one time she didn’t like her shoes. They fought for a week!) Which is why now June tells people what they what to hear. Who cares about a small fib if it makes her friends and family happy?
But when June’s fairy godmother appears in a cloud of glitter, she’s grants June with the ability to only tell the truth. Now, June has no choice but to be honest about how she feels. And the truth is June feels stressed out. Middle school is no joke—between field hockey, friend drama, and her parents' high expectations, June is so overwhelmed that sometimes it’s hard to breathe.
When everything spirals out of control, will June find freedom in telling the whole truth and nothing but—or is she destined to battle the curse for the rest of her life?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
To keep others happy, 11-year-old June Jackson, who is Black, tells mistruths about everything from liking collard greens to wanting to go to Howard University. Though she feels pressure to live up to her parents' professional success, June believes that sixth grade ("Prime time. The big leagues") in her Atlanta suburb will be smooth sailing if she keeps quiet about the stress of getting perfect grades; doing field hockey, debate, and newspaper; and somehow making time for friends. When June enters a carnival fun house two weeks into the school year, a fairy godmother calls her out on her lying and grants her a superpower: the power to only tell the truth. Scared of her new inability to lie, June starts a blog, Honest June, where she can place her "private truths," planning to otherwise remain silent. But as building pressures cause further anxiety, June is forced to consider who she is and what she really wants. Wells (the Mackenzie Blue series) and Smith offer a clear message about the dangers of repressing one's needs and wants to appease others. Occasional b&w cartoon-style art by newcomer Bond centers character interaction. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Illustrator's agent: Kate Kendrick, Astound US.
