The debut of a phenomenal new middle-grade talent.
It's never too late for the adventure of a lifetime.In all the ways that matter, Mark is a normal kid. He's got a dog named Beau and a best friend, Jessie. He likes to take photos and write haiku poems in his notebook. He dreams of climbing a mountain one day.But in one important way, Mark is not like other kids at all. Mark is sick. The kind of sick that means hospitals. And treatments. The kind of sick some people never get better from.So Mark runs away. He leaves home with his camera, his notebook, his dog, and a plan. A plan to reach the top of Mount Rainier. Even if it's the last thing he ever does.The Honest Truth is a rare and extraordinary novel about big questions, small moments, and one incredible journey. Praise for The Honest Truth:An Amazon.com Best Book of the Month (February)A Kids' Indie Next Pick (Winter '14-'15)*"An emotionally hard-hitting survival story... a gripping page-turner." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review"A heartbreaking, moving novel that makes you want to embrace the boy at its center and hold him close." -- Holly Goldberg Sloan, New York Times bestselling author of Counting by 7s"Debut author Gemeinhart has pulled off an impressive combination of suspenseful adventure thriller and cancer narrative... Touching but unsentimental, this is a deeply moving adventure." -- Booklist"Gemeinhart presents a rousingly riveting two-hanky read." -- Kirkus Reviews"Writer/librarian Dan Gemeinhart has taken great care to craft a believable and poignant tale of steely resolve and undying friendship. Reluctant readers will especially enjoy the forward-moving adventure, and dog lovers will be thrilled with this truly magnificent tale of "boy loves dog" (and vice versa)... an outstanding debut novel." -- Bookpage"Gemeinhart... has crafted an extraordinary story about savoring life and exploring the meanings of strength." -- Alaska Airlines Magazine Dan Gemeinhart is a teacher-librarian and father of three daughters. His debut novel, The Honest Truth, was a New York Times Editors' Choice selection, an Amazon.com Best Book of the Month, and an Indie Next List pick. His follow-up, Some Kind of Courage, was met with critical acclaim, garnering two starred reviews. Dan lives with his family in Cashmere, Washington. Visit him at dangemeinhart.com. From THE HONEST TRUTH:The mountain was calling me. I had to run away. I had to.And I didn't need anyone to go with me. I tightened the straps on my backpack and held the front screen door open with my foot. "Come on, Beau!" I called, and my voice didn't shake one bit. It was strong. Like me.Beau came rocketing out the door, his tail slapping my legs. He danced on his front paws on the porch, his mismatched eyes smiling up at me, his tongue hanging out happy. I bent down and scratched him behind his ears the way he loved, the way only I knew how to do. "You're always ready for a walk, aren't you, buddy?" He panted out a yes."Well," I said, grabbing the handles of my duffel bag and standing up. "You're in for a doozy." I looked out to the horizon, to the white-topped mountains in the distance. "The biggest walk of all. That's the truth." Praise for The Honest Truth:An Amazon.com Best Book of the Month (February)A Kids' Indie Next Pick (Winter '14-'15)*"An emotionally hard-hitting survival story... a gripping page-turner." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review"A heartbreaking, moving novel that makes you want to embrace the boy at its center and hold him close." -- Holly Goldberg Sloan, New York Times bestselling author of Counting by 7s"Debut author Gemeinhart has pulled off an impressive combination of suspenseful adventure thriller and cancer narrative... Touching but unsentimental, this is a deeply moving adventure." -- Booklist"Gemeinhart presents a rousingly riveting two-hanky read." -- Kirkus Reviews"Writer/librarian Dan Gemeinhart has taken great care to craft a believable and poigna
