Oakes, Stephanie.
THE SACRED LIES OF MINNOW BLY
New York : Dial Books, 2015
IL YA
ISBN 0803740700

Since the age of five, Minnow Bly lived with her family inside the confines of the Kevinian cult led by a twisted but charismatic leader known as the “Prophet.”  They are allowed no communication with the outside world, and the men serve as deacons for the Prophet and have several wives.  The women are forced to marry young, are not allowed to learn how to read, and their only purpose is to have children.  When Minnow meets Jude, an outsider, she begins to question everything the Prophet has ever told her.  In a moment of complete disrespect and defiance, Minnow is punished by having her hands brutally removed.  Shortly after that, the Prophet is killed and the camp is destroyed in a fire.  Minnow is placed in juvenile detention facility for severely beating a boy.  While navigating the ins and outs of the juvenile facility, Minnow must also decide if she will tell her story to an FBI agent in order to gain her freedom.  Is Minnow able to let go of the past? Read The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes to learn more about this courageous young woman.  (Oklahoma Intermediate Sequoyah Award, 2018)