The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle

Mason Buttle is a seventh-grader with learning disabilities who lives on his family's apple orchard with his grandmother and uncle. After his best friend Benny dies in an accident on the orchard property, the police lieutenant continues to question Mason about the incident, unconvinced by Mason's account. While dealing with constant bullying at school and the deterioration of his once-prosperous family orchard, Mason develops a new friendship with tiny Calvin Chumsky. The two boys create their own refuge in Mason's basement, though Mason still faces pressure from the ongoing investigation and his own struggle to process what happened to Benny. Mason narrates his story through voice-to-text technology, allowing readers direct access to his unique perspective and pure heart. The novel explores themes of grief, friendship, and the power of staying true to oneself in the face of judgment and misunderstanding.

Readers connect deeply with Mason's authentic voice and the realistic portrayal of learning disabilities. Many note the book helps build empathy and understanding for neurodivergent perspectives. Liked: - Character development, especially Mason's personality and growth - Accurate depiction of dyslexia and processing challenges - Strong friendship themes - Balance of serious topics with moments of hope - Effective handling of grief and bullying Disliked: - Slow pacing in first third of book - Some found the writing style challenging to follow - A few readers felt the ending wrapped up too neatly Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (11,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (500+ ratings) Common Sense Media: 5/5 One teacher reviewer noted: "Perfect for teaching students about acceptance and perspective." Multiple parents mentioned the book helped their children understand classmates with learning differences. Multiple middle school librarians report it's frequently recommended and borrowed by students ages 10-14.

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🌟 Mason Buttle struggles with hyperhidrosis, a real medical condition that causes excessive sweating affecting approximately 2-3% of the population. 📚 Author Leslie Connor spent three years writing and revising the novel, drawing inspiration from her experiences working with students who had learning differences. 🏆 The book won the 2019 Schneider Family Book Award, which recognizes authors for their artistic expression of the disability experience. 🎯 The story takes place in an apple orchard region, similar to New York's Hudson Valley where nearly 600 orchards produce over 29.5 million bushels of apples annually. 💫 Mason's use of the Dragon speech-to-text program reflects real assistive technology that helps thousands of students with dyslexia and other learning differences communicate more effectively.