Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Riveting, poignant drama explores kindness, friendship.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
THE TRUTH AS TOLD BY MASON BUTTLE introduces 12-year-old Mason just over a year after he found his best friend dead in his family's orchard. The police lieutenant suspects Mason hasn't told the whole story, and Mason -- who's huge, sweaty, and barely literate -- spends his lonely days trying to avoid neighborhood bullies. He finds a new friend in Calvin, who also hangs out in the school social worker's office. The two create a hideaway where they can build, create, and feel safe. But all that is threatened when Calvin disappears and Mason finds himself the focus of the police lieutenant's attention -- again.
Is It Any Good?
Leslie Connor has created another unforgettable, unlikely hero in Mason, a large, lonely seventh-grader whose grieving heart aches for just the simplest moments of connection with the people he loves. The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle unfolds in his remarkable voice: straightforward, frank, and full of sweet surprises. Connor (Waiting for Normal) surrounds Mason with well-meaning adults struggling to wade through their own grief and regret. Though he's steeped in loneliness, Mason is an optimist: He takes everyday miseries in stride and seeks out people and places that show him kindness and warmth. Sad but never bleak, the story offers a gentle lesson on what a difference a little kindness and patience can make.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Mason's narration in The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle. Do you enjoy reading stories told in such unique voices? How does this approach shape the way you understand the story?
What do you think of how the adults in this story treat Mason and the other children?
Do you have a safe refuge of your own?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Friendship , School ( Middle School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Katherine Tegen Books
- Publication date : January 23, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 336
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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