Booktalks Quick and Simple

	Connor, Leslie. THE TRUTH AS TOLD BY MASON BUTTLE New York : Katherine Tegen Books, 2018 IL 5-8, RL 5.0 ISBN 978-0-06-249143-5 (5 booktalks)
Click on the book to read Amazon reviews	Booktalk #1 What happens when you tell the truth and no one believes you? 12-year-old Mason Buttle is large for his age, sweats profusely, is dyslexic and feels his emotions as colors. He is the perfect bully target. Matt, one of the neighborhood bullies is relentless in his intimidation tactics; Matt pelts Mason with lacrosse balls and rotten apples from the orchard. The only thing worse than the bullying, is the memory of the tragic death of Mason’s best friend, Benny. It has been two years since Benny fell from the orchard treehouse and broke his neck. However, police officer Lieutenant Baird still peppers Mason with questions about the accident. When Mason’s new best friend Calvin goes missing, Lieutenant Baird turns to Mason. As Mason struggles to express himself, he must unravel the mystery of Calvin’s disappearance. In doing so will Mason uncover the truth about Benny’s death? (New Hampshire Great Stone Face nominee, 2018-2019) Booktalk #2 Mason Buttle and his family are grieving. Mason lost his mom to an accident and Mason’s best friend, Benny Kilmartin, died under suspicious circumstances. Benny’s death in Mason’s orchard continues to be investigated by Lieutenant Baird and Mason seems to be the focus of the investigation. Mason has a difficult time understanding the whole situation. He is big for his age and he has a medical condition that leaves him extremely sweaty. He also has a difficult time reading and writing. Mason finds solace form his grief and neighborhood bullies by visiting his school’s social work office (SWOOP) and by making a new friend. The Truth As Told By Mason Buttle is a story of redemption. Readers will rejoice as Mason and his family gain understanding and heal. (Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award 2019 - 2020) Booktalk #3 How would you feel if someone very special to you died and everyone (except your family) thought that you were responsible? Mason loses his best friend Benny in a tragic accident that happens in the run-down apple orchard owned by Mason’s family. Now Mason, the target of a group neighborhood bullies, must learn how to navigate school and home life without his best friend, while trying to convince the lead investigator that he has told him all he knows about the accident. When Mason befriends Calvin, a new kid in school, things appear to be returning to normal. The boys’ friendship and shared interests also make Calvin the target of the same neighborhood bullies that have been harassing Mason. One afternoon, while being chased by these bullies, Calvin disappears, and Mason fears that people will think he is responsible. While he helps the police and Calvin’s parents try to find Calvin, he discovers that Calvin may have fallen victim to the same person or persons responsible for Benny’s death. Will Calvin be found and will those responsible be brought to justice? Read The Truth As Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor to find out. (Prepared by: Patti Barker, Bryson Middle School, pbarker@greenville.k12.sc.us for South Carolina Book Award) Booktalk #4 Mason Buttle is often the target of the neighborhood bullies, which has become much harder to endure after losing his friend Benny in an accident on the Buttle family orchard 15 months earlier. Mason, who has only told the truth about his whereabouts that day, doesn’t understand why the Lieutenant in charge of the investigation doesn’t believe his story. While things start to get better after Mason and new friend Calvin build an underground hideaway to spend their time, it doesn’t last long. When Calvin goes missing, all fingers point to Mason. Can Mason help find Calvin and prove his innocence? (New Jersey Garden State Children's Book Award 2021) Booktalk #5 Mason has a LOT going on in his life: he’s big for 12, super sweaty, dyslexic, and without his best friend Benny, who died in an accident a little over a year ago. Mason is regularly chased by a bully who lives near him (and whose dog Moonie likes Mason better) and visited by Lieutenant Baird, who’s sure he knows more than he’s telling about Benny’s death. His grandmother and uncle are both depressed since Mason’s mother died, and his uncle keeps selling off more of the family orchards rather than rousing himself to find work. Whew! Things begin to turn around when a school counselor introduces Mason to a speech to text program that allows him to "write” about the events in his life; he makes a new friend, Calvin, as small as Mason is big, and they discover a hidden root cellar where they can hide out in safety. When Calvin goes missing, Lt. Baird is back at Mason’s door looking for explanations. Where is Calvin? Will Mason be able to sort out the mystery surrounding both of his friends? Will the community ever believe that Mason has nothing to do with either situation? (Book Talk by Elizabeth Metcalf, Redmond Middle School ) (Washington Evergreen Book Award nominee 2021)
	SUBJECTS: Detective and mystery fiction. Grief -- Fiction. Learning disabled -- Fiction.

Connor, Leslie.
THE TRUTH AS TOLD BY MASON BUTTLE
New York : Katherine Tegen Books, 2018
IL 5-8, RL 5.0
ISBN 978-0-06-249143-5

(5 booktalks)

Click on the book to read Amazon reviews

Booktalk #1

What happens when you tell the truth and no one believes you? 12-year-old Mason Buttle is large for his age, sweats profusely, is dyslexic and feels his emotions as colors. He is the perfect bully target. Matt, one of the neighborhood bullies is relentless in his intimidation tactics; Matt pelts Mason with lacrosse balls and rotten apples from the orchard. The only thing worse than the bullying, is the memory of the tragic death of Mason’s best friend, Benny. It has been two years since Benny fell from the orchard treehouse and broke his neck. However, police officer Lieutenant Baird still peppers Mason with questions about the accident. When Mason’s new best friend Calvin goes missing, Lieutenant Baird turns to Mason. As Mason struggles to express himself, he must unravel the mystery of Calvin’s disappearance. In doing so will Mason uncover the truth about Benny’s death? (New Hampshire Great Stone Face nominee, 2018-2019)

Booktalk #2

Mason Buttle and his family are grieving. Mason lost his mom to an accident and Mason’s best friend, Benny Kilmartin, died under suspicious circumstances. Benny’s death in Mason’s orchard continues to be investigated by Lieutenant Baird and Mason seems to be the focus of the investigation. Mason has a difficult time understanding the whole situation. He is big for his age and he has a medical condition that leaves him extremely sweaty. He also has a difficult time reading and writing. Mason finds solace form his grief and neighborhood bullies by visiting his school’s social work office (SWOOP) and by making a new friend. The Truth As Told By Mason Buttle is a story of redemption. Readers will rejoice as Mason and his family gain understanding and heal. (Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award 2019 - 2020)

Booktalk #3

How would you feel if someone very special to you died and everyone (except your family) thought that you were responsible? Mason loses his best friend Benny in a tragic accident that happens in the run-down apple orchard owned by Mason’s family. Now Mason, the target of a group neighborhood bullies, must learn how to navigate school and home life without his best friend, while trying to convince the lead investigator that he has told him all he knows about the accident. When Mason befriends Calvin, a new kid in school, things appear to be returning to normal. The boys’ friendship and shared interests also make Calvin the target of the same neighborhood bullies that have been harassing Mason. One afternoon, while being chased by these bullies, Calvin disappears, and Mason fears that people will think he is responsible. While he helps the police and Calvin’s parents try to find Calvin, he discovers that Calvin may have fallen victim to the same person or persons responsible for Benny’s death. Will Calvin be found and will those responsible be brought to justice? Read The Truth As Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor to find out. (Prepared by: Patti Barker, Bryson Middle School, pbarker@greenville.k12.sc.us for South Carolina Book Award)

Booktalk #4

Mason Buttle is often the target of the neighborhood bullies, which has become much harder to endure after losing his friend Benny in an accident on the Buttle family orchard 15 months earlier. Mason, who has only told the truth about his whereabouts that day, doesn’t understand why the Lieutenant in charge of the investigation doesn’t believe his story. While things start to get better after Mason and new friend Calvin build an underground hideaway to spend their time, it doesn’t last long. When Calvin goes missing, all fingers point to Mason. Can Mason help find Calvin and prove his innocence? (New Jersey Garden State Children's Book Award 2021)

Booktalk #5

Mason has a LOT going on in his life: he’s big for 12, super sweaty, dyslexic, and without his best friend Benny, who died in an accident a little over a year ago. Mason is regularly chased by a bully who lives near him (and whose dog Moonie likes Mason better) and visited by Lieutenant Baird, who’s sure he knows more than he’s telling about Benny’s death. His grandmother and uncle are both depressed since Mason’s mother died, and his uncle keeps selling off more of the family orchards rather than rousing himself to find work. Whew! Things begin to turn around when a school counselor introduces Mason to a speech to text program that allows him to "write” about the events in his life; he makes a new friend, Calvin, as small as Mason is big, and they discover a hidden root cellar where they can hide out in safety. When Calvin goes missing, Lt. Baird is back at Mason’s door looking for explanations. Where is Calvin? Will Mason be able to sort out the mystery surrounding both of his friends? Will the community ever believe that Mason has nothing to do with either situation? (Book Talk by Elizabeth Metcalf, Redmond Middle School ) (Washington Evergreen Book Award nominee 2021)

SUBJECTS:     Detective and mystery fiction.
                        Grief -- Fiction.
                        Learning disabled -- Fiction.