Edie Tells a Lie (Ingrid Laguna, Text)

Ingrid Laguna’s Edie Tells a Lie is a gentle story of friendship and family. After the loss of her father, Edie mourns the large family she wishes she had. Edie’s sadness and loneliness are made worse when her best friend, Bowie, moves and stops replying to Edie’s messages. The house feels too quiet with just her and Mum. Then Edie meets Aleki, a girl from a big Samoan family who fills their home with love and laughter. Edie is convinced that Aleki won’t like her for who she really is. So, she makes up a story – a lie that quickly spirals out of control and is soon exposed. Edie’s world feels small, but an assignment to draw her family tree shows Edie the power of found family and reveals her Polish ancestors. She uncovers a surprising family secret: she has a very interesting and famous great aunt. She is desperate to share her story, but will anyone believe her when she’s lied before? Laguna (Sunflower) presents Aleki’s Samoan family in stark contrast to Edie’s own, and it’s lovely to see such a broad range of cultures represented. Readers aged 8+ will recognise and possibly relate to the uncomfortable feelings that come with making mistakes and facing the consequences. Edie’s story also shows the valuable lessons one learns from mistakes, offering a broad scope of topics for classroom discussion. Recommended for readers who have enjoyed books by Emily Gale (such as Outlaw Girls, co-written with Nova Weetman) and Jane Godwin (Look Me in the Eye).

Books+Publishing reviewer: Erin Wamala is a teacher librarian and owner of The Kids' Bookshop. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Friday Unlocked reviews Reviews