Being Frank

Being Frank

Frank follows the motto, Honesty is the best policy. He tells the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Frank never lies to his schoolmates, he always tells the truth to adults, and he's always honest with police officers. The balancing act of finding tact, that fine line between telling the truth and telling too much truth, is the main theme of this story, and it's very funny -- although not necessarily to his friend Dotti whose freckles remind Frank of the Big Dipper, or to the teacher who hears that her breath smells like onions, or to the principal who is told that his toupee looks like a weasel. No one is quite as impressed with Frank's honesty as he thinks they should be. He is sweet and straightforward, and, well, very frank, but with everyone annoyed at him, Frank is now honestly unhappy. He decides to visit his confidante and pal, Grandpa Ernest, who has a history of frankness himself. With a few lessons from Grandpa, Frank begins to understand that the truth is important, but so is not being hurtful. With amusing characters and expressive artwork, this story tells the powerful message of finding the good in everything - a lesson that sends compassion and understanding to take the place of rudeness in the complex concept of truth.

When Donna W. Earnhardt isn't homeschooling or battling the laundry, she's writing children's stories, poetry, songs, and mysteries. You might find her fishing the Pee Dee River, hiking in the mountains with her family, or visiting her hometown of Cordova, NC.

Review: A gorgeous story of Frank a boy knows only how to tell the truth which sometime hurts the people he cares about. Frank learns the right way to serve the truth. Perfect for children who can be quite 'frank' without understanding how it affects others.

Being Frank
John Reed Books
Author: Donna W. Earnhardt
Illustrator: Andrea Castellani
ISBN: 9781936261192
Price: $22.95