One Speck of Truth

Reach for this book when your child is starting to ask complex questions about their family history or when you sense they are struggling with the gaps in their own origin story. This moving story follows Alma, a girl raised by a single mother who has kept the truth about Alma's father and her Cuban heritage under lock and key. When the chance to visit Cuba arises, Alma must navigate the messy reality of family secrets and the realization that truth is rarely simple. It is a sophisticated look at identity and trust for the upper elementary and middle school years. Parents will appreciate the nuanced way it handles the tension between a child's right to know and a parent's desire to protect, ultimately celebrating the courage it takes to define oneself on one's own terms.