HONEST JUNE

June Jackson returns with more lessons to learn about half-truths and pleasing people.

Eleven-year-old June believes she has this whole truth-telling curse figured out after her explosive revelation to her parents. As long as she can pour every not-so-nice thought into her private blog, she can still appear to be the perfect friend and daughter. This becomes even more important when she realizes her two best friends, Lee and Nia, may have a mutual crush. As June determines how she will navigate this emotional minefield, she tries out for The Wiz, her school’s musical for the year, despite her already full schedule. Fearing disappointing her academically focused father again, June keeps her role as Dorothy a secret. Eventually, however, June runs out of ways to avoid telling the truth, forcing her to deal with the fallout of her actions. Just when she thinks she’s got things figured out, the unimaginable happens, sending her world into a tailspin. Like its predecessor, this first-person narrative quickly progresses through its diffuse plot as June learns that how you tell the truth matters just as much as the fact of telling the truth itself. The sudden ending comes as June prepares for her next adventure and will leave readers wanting a more satisfying and fully developed resolution. June and other characters are Black. Final art not seen.

A heavy-handed echo of its predecessor.