As a presidency unravels and the fight for women’s rights intensifies, a teen girl’s future will be determined by her willingness to seek the truth.
Patty Appleton is making history. As one of the Senate’s first female Congressional Pages, she’s not only paving the way for other politically minded girls, she has a front-row seat to debates dividing the nation, especially around women’s rights and roles. The battle between the old ways and the new polarizes the women in Patty’s life, and she finds herself torn between traditional expectations—to be anobedient daughter aspiring to become a perfect wife—and questions new friends like fiercely feminist Simone encourage her to ask.
But the questions don’t stop at women’s rights: The Watergate scandal is intensifying. As evidence mounts that the White House engaged in crimes, smears, and cover-ups to manipulate an election, Patty worries her dad, a fundraiser for President Nixon, could somehow be involved. Determining truth from lies becomes ever more essential for the nation’s future—and for Patty’s as well.
Illustrated throughout with remarkable real-life images and headlines, this timely exploration of 1973—the year of Watergate hearings, the Equal Rights Amendment, and Roe v. Wade—unfolds through the story of a young woman driven to question everything as she learns to think for, and rely on, herself.
Praise for Truth, Lies, and the Questions in Between
“In Truth, Lies, and the Questions in Between, L.M. Elliott uses the pen of a journalist and the heart of a storyteller to create a masterful, page-turning, razor-sharp commentary on a past that looks eerily like our present. A book that made me feel, think, and most importantly, hope.” –Sharon Cameron, New York Times Best-Selling Author of The Light in Hidden Places
“This expansive historical novel immerses readers in life on the Hill.” –Publishers Weekly
“A compelling work grounded in historical facts with allusions to present-day concerns.” –Kirkus
“The skillful blend of historical facts, relatable teen angst, and profound social commentary makes this a gripping must-read for both teens and adults.” –School Library Journal
“Informing without lecturing, this will allow anyone with an interest in politics to see what has and hasn’t changed in America over the past fifty years.” –BCCB
“[Its] intensity is ensured by sharply drawn secondary characters, powerful mother- daughter relationships, and the relevance of the political and personal issues explored.” –Booklist
