The Size of the Truth
by Andrew Smith
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2019. 266 pages.
Review written November 6, 2019, from a library book
When he was four years old, Sam Abernathy was trapped in a well for three days. He was playing Spud with his friend Karim, and an older boy, James Jenkins, threw the ball so high, Karim couldn’t catch it, and Sam stepped in the hole and fell. The whole town of Blue Sky, Texas, rallied to save him, and some people still wear their “Pray for Sam” t-shirts.
Now Sam is eleven years old, and his parents just had him skip two grades from sixth grade to eighth grade. As if it weren’t enough to be known in town as “Well Boy,” now he stands out for being the smallest kid in eighth grade. James Jenkins was held back and is also in eighth grade and his locker is next to Sam’s. Sam is convinced he looks like a murderer.
Sam’s father has big plans for Sam. He wants him to go to a magnet high school and get a scholarship to study physics. What Sam wants to do is become a chef. He experiments with dishes at Karim’s house.
The story is told with flashbacks from Sam’s three days in the well interspersed with what’s happening in eighth grade. Sam couldn’t remember what happened for a long time, and now his memories involve a talking armadillo named Bartleby who is very annoying, but shows Sam some interesting things down side tunnels. And at least Sam wasn’t alone!
The story is about truth and perception. And about parental expectations and learning to speak up. You can’t help but liking Sam, but also feeling sorry for him. I’m happy to report that Sam does learn ways to make things better for himself before the book is done. Here’s a bit from early in the book to give you a feel for Sam’s voice:
I have an idea for a reality television show.
The show follows an eleven-year-old boy named Sam Abernathy, who’s been jumped ahead during the first week of the school year, catapulted directly from sixth into eighth grade.
The show is called Figure It Out, Kid!
We are entirely uncertain whether or not the kid makes it out alive.
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