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Two Truths and a Lie: It's Alive!
“Considering the fresh attention being paid to teaching a skeptical approach to information evaluation, this series opener couldn’t be better timed. A brief but savvy guide to responsible research methods adds further luster to this crowd pleaser.” —ALA Booklist (starred review)
Two Truths and a Lie is the first book in a fascinating new series that presents some of the most crazy-but-true stories about the living world as well as a handful of stories that are too crazy to be true—and asks readers to separate facts from fakes!
Did you know that there is a fungus that can control the mind of an ant and make it do its bidding? Would you believe there is such a thing as a corpse flower—a ten-foot-tall plant with a blossom that smells like a zombie? How about a species of octopus that doesn’t live in water but rather lurks in trees in the Pacific Northwest?
Every story in this book is strange and astounding. But not all of them are real. Just like the old game in this book’s title, two out of every three stories are completely true and one is an outright lie. Can you guess which? It’s not going to be easy. Some false stories are based on truth, and some of the true stories are just plain unbelievable. And they’re all accompanied by dozens of photos, maps, and illustrations. Amaze yourself and trick your friends as you sort out the fakes from the facts!
Acclaimed authors Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson have teamed up to create a series of sneaky stories about the natural world designed to amaze, disgust, and occasionally bamboozle you.
Two Truths and a Lie is the first book in a fascinating new series that presents some of the most crazy-but-true stories about the living world as well as a handful of stories that are too crazy to be true—and asks readers to separate facts from fakes!
Did you know that there is a fungus that can control the mind of an ant and make it do its bidding? Would you believe there is such a thing as a corpse flower—a ten-foot-tall plant with a blossom that smells like a zombie? How about a species of octopus that doesn’t live in water but rather lurks in trees in the Pacific Northwest?
Every story in this book is strange and astounding. But not all of them are real. Just like the old game in this book’s title, two out of every three stories are completely true and one is an outright lie. Can you guess which? It’s not going to be easy. Some false stories are based on truth, and some of the true stories are just plain unbelievable. And they’re all accompanied by dozens of photos, maps, and illustrations. Amaze yourself and trick your friends as you sort out the fakes from the facts!
Acclaimed authors Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson have teamed up to create a series of sneaky stories about the natural world designed to amaze, disgust, and occasionally bamboozle you.
164 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2017
69 people are currently reading
785 people want to read
About the author
Ammi-Joan Paquette
21 books84 followersAmmi-Joan Paquette has never met a ghost, mummy, monster, skeleton, or witch — as far as she knows. This book, she says, was inspired by a game she used to play with her sister: "Most of the details have been lost to time, but I still remember the shivery thrill I got when we played it. So, I drew on that same energy to write a spooky picture book, which eventually became A Ghost in the House." In addition to writing, Joan is also a literary agent representing authors of children’s books. She lives outside Boston with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
April 7, 2017
Fascinating facts, and wait, false facts? Yet those un-truths are hard to figure out in this book!
This book is sure to amaze readers and will be a fantastic mentor text for teachers when discussing how to sift through research and fact check what is written.
This book is sure to amaze readers and will be a fantastic mentor text for teachers when discussing how to sift through research and fact check what is written.
July 2, 2017
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=1...
Walden Pond, as far as I know, hasn’t published a nonfiction text other than the Guys Read: True Stories, and I can definitely see why this is one they chose to add to their publication catalog. One of the greatest educational obstacles right now is that students have access to such a wide variety of information, some that is anything but reliable and valid, so it is up to parents and educators to show how to filter through all of the information and check the validity of what they find. Paquette and Thompson’s Two Truths and a Lie take that to a fun level giving the reader three stories, all the seem as crazy yet possible, but it gives kids the opportunity to use the internet to research each story to determine what is the truth and what is the lie. But the book doesn’t seem like it is for teaching, though it would work perfectly in the classroom, because the stories are just so crazy and fun to read from zombie-making fungi to an unlikely chicken, the stories are just all so unbelievable!
Walden Pond, as far as I know, hasn’t published a nonfiction text other than the Guys Read: True Stories, and I can definitely see why this is one they chose to add to their publication catalog. One of the greatest educational obstacles right now is that students have access to such a wide variety of information, some that is anything but reliable and valid, so it is up to parents and educators to show how to filter through all of the information and check the validity of what they find. Paquette and Thompson’s Two Truths and a Lie take that to a fun level giving the reader three stories, all the seem as crazy yet possible, but it gives kids the opportunity to use the internet to research each story to determine what is the truth and what is the lie. But the book doesn’t seem like it is for teaching, though it would work perfectly in the classroom, because the stories are just so crazy and fun to read from zombie-making fungi to an unlikely chicken, the stories are just all so unbelievable!
January 15, 2017
Fantastic format! Kids in grade 4 and up will enjoy picking which story of 3 is false! 9 phenomenal chapters and 3 stories in each one! The only thing that made me sad was when I reached the end! Educators can use this book as a mentor text for student writing their own informational texts!
June 11, 2017
Two Truths and a Lie takes an interesting approach to presenting information. The book is divided into three parts: plants, animals, and humans. Each part is then divided into chapters which are further divided into three sections. Each section describes something related to the topic. But there's a catch, one of the three sections in each chapter is false (a lie) while the other two are true. To make things even trickier, the section that's a lie may still contain elements that are true. (I'm not going to give specific examples because I don't want to spoil the fun.) Not only are the pieces of information fascinating but it's very engaging to try to figure out what is true and what is not. And while the end of the book contains the answers as well as references and an index, it feels like cheating to peak before making an educated guess. And the authors actively encourage readers to look for the answers themselves. Not only is this a great book for pure entertainment, it's also a great resource for librarians/teachers/parents who want to help their children learn to verify information before accepting everything they see/hear/read as truth.
August 26, 2017
Each chapter in this book contains three stories - two that are factual and one that's made up but written to sound like it's also factual. The book challenges kids to read the stories in each chapter, guess, and then do their own research to find out which stories are true and which is the fake. There's a section on how to research and find reliable sources and then at the end of the book it gives you the answers and a bibliography for each chapter.
This book is not only fun browsing material for kids who love learning interesting facts, but it has great potential for classroom or library lessons on information literacy. Share the stories from a chapter and challenge students to use research to provide which stories are true. Since the fake stories are written to look just like the true stories (with photos, defined glossary words, captions, diagrams, etc.), this is a great book for showing students that you have to double check sources and you can't believe everything you read!
I also do think this is really fun for kids to just read on their own. The stories are all interesting and kids will learn a lot of interesting facts. This would be a fun one to share together on a road trip or vacation and try to stump the rest of your family.
This book is not only fun browsing material for kids who love learning interesting facts, but it has great potential for classroom or library lessons on information literacy. Share the stories from a chapter and challenge students to use research to provide which stories are true. Since the fake stories are written to look just like the true stories (with photos, defined glossary words, captions, diagrams, etc.), this is a great book for showing students that you have to double check sources and you can't believe everything you read!
I also do think this is really fun for kids to just read on their own. The stories are all interesting and kids will learn a lot of interesting facts. This would be a fun one to share together on a road trip or vacation and try to stump the rest of your family.
February 28, 2017
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What I liked: This book is so MUCH fun to read. Filled with completely ridiculous, yet true stories, this book will teach you about miraculous plants and animals. At least most of the stories are true. For every three stories, there is one fabrication. As we read we have to think about and research the stories to find out the read truth. This book encourages research and figuring out the difference between fact and fiction on the internet. I think kids will find it engaging and incredibly fun to read. The book is well written. I highly recommend it for any curious human being.
What I didn't like: The only thing that worries me? That I won't remember what's real and what's not. I may say to myself: "I remember reading about that...it must be true." Of course that's always a problem when we read anything on the internet that may be fallacious.
What I liked: This book is so MUCH fun to read. Filled with completely ridiculous, yet true stories, this book will teach you about miraculous plants and animals. At least most of the stories are true. For every three stories, there is one fabrication. As we read we have to think about and research the stories to find out the read truth. This book encourages research and figuring out the difference between fact and fiction on the internet. I think kids will find it engaging and incredibly fun to read. The book is well written. I highly recommend it for any curious human being.
What I didn't like: The only thing that worries me? That I won't remember what's real and what's not. I may say to myself: "I remember reading about that...it must be true." Of course that's always a problem when we read anything on the internet that may be fallacious.
July 9, 2017
I'd love to talk about this book with intermediate and middle school teachers. The title sets kids up for questioning right from the start. 1.) I think it is the kind of books that some readers will love from start to finish, so it should be on your bookshelf. 2.) I think it could be used as a challenge in a classroom to uncover fake news. 3.) Parts of me wish that the last chapter was the first chapter - but, knowing that I can share that first and issue the challenge. 4.) I wonder if some of the chapters should be presented in their online form so kids can make the connection with the need to read for understanding rather than fact in all places.
It is a great text to examine how word choice, fact choice, use of an outside expert and format can sway your thinking.
It is a great text to examine how word choice, fact choice, use of an outside expert and format can sway your thinking.
January 7, 2018
Highly engaging informational book that presents three unusual stories about plants and animals around the world, but only two of them are true!
Two things I loved: that the authors want readers to go and research to find the truths (or lies) for themselves. The research guide gives them tips on how to spot “fake news,” where to go to find reliable sources, and when to use common sense. The world needs this now. The second thing was the book’s structure: organized in three parts (plants, animals, and humans) with engaging text features and side notes, Two Truths is a feast for the eyes that will have kids saying, “Wow!”
Two things I loved: that the authors want readers to go and research to find the truths (or lies) for themselves. The research guide gives them tips on how to spot “fake news,” where to go to find reliable sources, and when to use common sense. The world needs this now. The second thing was the book’s structure: organized in three parts (plants, animals, and humans) with engaging text features and side notes, Two Truths is a feast for the eyes that will have kids saying, “Wow!”
February 20, 2018
This is a great book to share with people who are learning to determine what is true (and from reliable sources) and what is false (or from unreliable or even fake sources). There are three parts, one about plants, one about animals, and one about humans. Three scenarios are described, complete with pictures and the more difficult vocabulary explained, and the hope is that the reader will spend some time determining which of the three are true and which one is false. Of course, the book does include a list of sources and ultimately a key to tell you which ones were indeed false. A fun read and an engaging way to teach a information literacy.
March 13, 2017
Such a great idea, and so perfectly executed. My family loved reading this book aloud and debating which stories we thought were true or false. The pictures are terrific, too--they really make you think about the nature of evidence and authority and how fake stories can be made to look quite real.
I'm so glad this is going to be a series--can't wait for the next volume!
I'm so glad this is going to be a series--can't wait for the next volume!
November 30, 2017
What a great idea! Each story is interesting, and it's not always so easy to tell which of the three stories in each chapter is false. Paquette has written an engaging book that challenges the reader on a number of levels. I very much look forward to reading future books in this series.
October 11, 2017
Loved reading this with my kids. They thought it was hilarious and we spent a lot of time researching the items in the book together.
December 28, 2017
I always end up researching the non-fiction I read, so this book is right up my alley. It would be a great title for a class on research techniques as well.
October 23, 2017
I’m not sure about this one. Two Truths and a Lie: It’s Alive presents sets of three cleverly-written, humorous explanations of various scientific phenomena. But, you guessed it, two of them are true and one is not. The fake one might be wildly made-up or it might have something factual embedded in it, but it’s not completely true.
All the explanations are fun, but I’m bothered by young readers spending so much time reading fake stuff alongside true stuff, even if they know some of it is made up. Separating fact from fiction these days is almost a survival strategy, and I don’t quite see how this book strengthens that skill. I imagine readers being entertained and enjoying the mysteries but not remembering enough of the details the next day to be clear on what was true and untrue.
If you have experience with children reading Two Truths and a Lie, please let me know how it looks through your eyes. I’m willing to consider that because truth is so slippery in our peculiar era I may not be seeing this book’s full potential.
All the explanations are fun, but I’m bothered by young readers spending so much time reading fake stuff alongside true stuff, even if they know some of it is made up. Separating fact from fiction these days is almost a survival strategy, and I don’t quite see how this book strengthens that skill. I imagine readers being entertained and enjoying the mysteries but not remembering enough of the details the next day to be clear on what was true and untrue.
If you have experience with children reading Two Truths and a Lie, please let me know how it looks through your eyes. I’m willing to consider that because truth is so slippery in our peculiar era I may not be seeing this book’s full potential.
June 4, 2021
I LOVED booktalking Two Truths and a Lie: Histories and Mysteries so much, I couldn't resist reading this, just a couple of years later, hoping for a similar bang for my buck.
This one actually came first. For me, though, the other one is slightly stronger. Maybe I just know a lot more about the natural world (or at least the "weirder" things in it) than the vague category of "history & mystery"? I do live in the Pacific Northwest, which is home to its share of natural world rarities.
Regardless of the reason, I guessed almost all of these correctly. And the opposite was true of the other book. If you pick just one, make it that one!
This one actually came first. For me, though, the other one is slightly stronger. Maybe I just know a lot more about the natural world (or at least the "weirder" things in it) than the vague category of "history & mystery"? I do live in the Pacific Northwest, which is home to its share of natural world rarities.
Regardless of the reason, I guessed almost all of these correctly. And the opposite was true of the other book. If you pick just one, make it that one!
March 28, 2018
I like the concept of this book, but the design was frustrating. Style like the kids' series of gross animal facts, this one is divided into sections. Each section has three editorial story's about a weird creature or natural event. Two of the stories are real and one is a fiction.
ALL GREAT STUFF. But then I found it difficult to find the part of the book that revealed which one was true and which was false. The back end with the "reveal" and the bibliographies was confusing.
tldr: great content, poor layout.
ALL GREAT STUFF. But then I found it difficult to find the part of the book that revealed which one was true and which was false. The back end with the "reveal" and the bibliographies was confusing.
tldr: great content, poor layout.
May 13, 2024
I read this one with Pearl and it was so fun to guess the lies. She did better than I did. Yikes.
Some of them seemed obvious to me, but others I had to think about. There are such strange things in the world.
I don't normally pick up non-fiction, but they can be so interesting. I read this one for my DIE HARD challenge.
I rolled 5 (Non-fiction/Biography) and 1 (recommended to you) and Pearl picked the book for me. Great choice Pea!
It's an easy, fun ready and now I highly recommend it.
Some of them seemed obvious to me, but others I had to think about. There are such strange things in the world.
I don't normally pick up non-fiction, but they can be so interesting. I read this one for my DIE HARD challenge.
I rolled 5 (Non-fiction/Biography) and 1 (recommended to you) and Pearl picked the book for me. Great choice Pea!
It's an easy, fun ready and now I highly recommend it.
July 14, 2017
What a creative and highly readable non-fiction book! Delightful!
August 11, 2018
This is a solid piece of middle grade nonfiction with a cool premise. I like how it urges readers to do their own research and fact-checking. Plus, I mean... mind-control fungus is in this book. No better stuff for the young biology enthusiast.
September 16, 2018
What a great concept! I really enjoyed this book that presents three stories in each chapter along with fun facts, and readers need to determine which is the lie. Lots of uses for this in the classroom. Loved it!
December 17, 2019
It's a fun book.
Read
April 14, 202110/10 not for me...
mustered through for my battle of the books babes and barely made it. Not into what this book was about.
mustered through for my battle of the books babes and barely made it. Not into what this book was about.
October 22, 2021
I thought the book was very well thought of. I liked their idea and how they performed it. I also like at the end of the book it tells you which ones are lies.
May 5, 2017
This is a delightful read--middle schoolers are going to love it!
(Managed to snag an Advance Reader Copy.)
(Managed to snag an Advance Reader Copy.)
January 13, 2019
Fun concept for a book. I would have liked to have seen the tips for investigating the stories had come at the beginning of the book.
June 8, 2017
Review To Be Posted
July 1, 2017
Two Truths and A Lie: It's Alive! presents nine chapters of three stories each about plants, animals and humans where each story seems a little crazy but only one is a lie! Each story is backed up with sources and pictures and might even be sprinkled with some truths making some stories very difficult to see through.
This was a very fun book to read with middle school aged children. After learning about certain topics, we would read the three stories in a corresponding chapter and have a great discussion in trying to decipher which story was the lie. Our favorite group of stories was the very first one which contained stories of a human-shaped root, an entire forest made up of only one tree and plant communication. The only thing that I would have prefered is if the answers were directly after each section instead of all together at the end of the book, since this made it easy to see the false story for the next section. These stories were a fun way to engage kids and have them do some critical thinking, can't wait for the next one!
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
This was a very fun book to read with middle school aged children. After learning about certain topics, we would read the three stories in a corresponding chapter and have a great discussion in trying to decipher which story was the lie. Our favorite group of stories was the very first one which contained stories of a human-shaped root, an entire forest made up of only one tree and plant communication. The only thing that I would have prefered is if the answers were directly after each section instead of all together at the end of the book, since this made it easy to see the false story for the next section. These stories were a fun way to engage kids and have them do some critical thinking, can't wait for the next one!
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
June 27, 2017
The introduction sets the stage for an entertaining read. Laurie and Joan have written the three segments in each of the nine chapters so convincingly that it is at times difficult to determine the falsehood. This book is a fun hybrid of fiction and nonfiction.
In addition to the three cleverly written stories per chapter, Laurie and Joan expanded the fun by including lists of plant facts, plant names, animal group names, under sea creatures, animal facts, dinosaur names, strange and mysterious medical procedures, and illnesses - all which contain one falsehood. Is a cucumber a fruit? Is it a gulp of magpies? Do vampire squids exist? Can you catch monkey pox? Is truth stranger fiction? You'll have to do some research to find out (or look in the Answer Guide provided).
Especially useful to parents and teachers are the "Try This!" and "Take Action" and "Talk It Out" sections (offering ways to expand on the information), the colorful sidebar definition flags, the index, and the Research Guide. This guide offers suggested research options and the challenge to make your first reaction - Show me your source. All very valuable tools for student research and generally surviving in todays "fake news" and internet scam environment.
Although full of photographs, Lisa Weber's added illustrations, especially the lab-coated monkey and his investigative assistant are endearing and captivating. Kids of all ages will enjoy this book, and learn a lot about our strange and wacky world.
In addition to the three cleverly written stories per chapter, Laurie and Joan expanded the fun by including lists of plant facts, plant names, animal group names, under sea creatures, animal facts, dinosaur names, strange and mysterious medical procedures, and illnesses - all which contain one falsehood. Is a cucumber a fruit? Is it a gulp of magpies? Do vampire squids exist? Can you catch monkey pox? Is truth stranger fiction? You'll have to do some research to find out (or look in the Answer Guide provided).
Especially useful to parents and teachers are the "Try This!" and "Take Action" and "Talk It Out" sections (offering ways to expand on the information), the colorful sidebar definition flags, the index, and the Research Guide. This guide offers suggested research options and the challenge to make your first reaction - Show me your source. All very valuable tools for student research and generally surviving in todays "fake news" and internet scam environment.
Although full of photographs, Lisa Weber's added illustrations, especially the lab-coated monkey and his investigative assistant are endearing and captivating. Kids of all ages will enjoy this book, and learn a lot about our strange and wacky world.
June 29, 2017
This is a unique format for nonfiction that students will like, especially given today's climate of "fake news". I particularly appreciated the author's notes about research and factfinding.
June 10, 2017
One technique for enhancing the connectedness of a group of people is to have them participate in icebreakers, activities designed to reveal information about each individual. One of these games is called Two Truths and a Lie. Participants sit in a circle with each one making three assertions about themselves. The others need to figure out which one of the three statements is false.
When engaged in this contest of wits, we are able to assess body language and facial expression along with the spoken words. In a new title, Two Truths And A Lie: It's Alive! (Walden Pond Press, June 27, 2017) written by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson, arranged using a similar format, it's much trickier to sort what is real from what is fabricated. As we read it's all about separating the possible from the impossible and reaching credible conclusions.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
When engaged in this contest of wits, we are able to assess body language and facial expression along with the spoken words. In a new title, Two Truths And A Lie: It's Alive! (Walden Pond Press, June 27, 2017) written by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson, arranged using a similar format, it's much trickier to sort what is real from what is fabricated. As we read it's all about separating the possible from the impossible and reaching credible conclusions.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews