Two truths and a lie Histories and mysteries

Review by Booklist Review

In this companion to Two Truths and a Lie: It's Alive! (2017), the coauthors offer more chances to sift truth from truth-ish, this time with a historical, rather than biological, theme. In each of nine chapters, they present three historical or cultural oddities only two of which are real, but all featuring names, dates, plausibility-enhancing background facts, photos (occasionally doctored) or other illustrations, and even bibliographies at the end. Even dyed-in-the-wool skeptics will be hard put to spot the ringers: footprints embedded in sandstone on the roof of Kentucky's Mammoth Caves, dental fillings more than 12,000 years old, or a trove of lead tiles embedded with ancient Roman curses? A town with a dog for elected mayor, a tree arrested by police, or clothing designed to hide pets' private parts? Along with suggestions for side projects and discussions, the authors offer fact lists containing one false factoid as extra challenges to readers' credulity. Happily, the back matter includes explanations that identify the baloney, as well as a savvy guide to evaluating information sources.--Peters, John Copyright 2018 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Horn Book Review

In the authors' dynamically designed follow-up to their science-focused title Two Truths and a Lie: It's Alive!, nine chapters tell three intriguing stories about historical or recent events, places, and people. Section-ending summaries challenge readers to determine which one is fake (answers are appended). Sidebars extend the critical thinking for readers, and a "Research Guide" encourages appropriate use of resources. Bib., ind. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

With the phrase "fake news" being tossed around a great deal these days, this collection of stories in which one out of every three is a lie is both timely and entertaining. Divided into three parts under the categories "Hazy Histories," "Peculiar Places," and "Perplexing People," each chapter features three bizarre stories, two of which are true and one false. Readers must determine through research which stories are false (or flip to the back to find out). Some fake stories have a foundational basis in fact, while others are outright fabrications. Readers are challenged to determine the verity of Boilerplate, an early robot that participated in the Spanish-American War and the Boxer Rebellion in China; of Dog Island, a place off the coast of Florida where over 2,500 formerly domesticated pooches have been "rewilded"; and of the village of Nagoro, Japan, which is populated by hundreds of life-size dolls. Manipulated photographs enhance credibility, and the true stories matched with the false are strange enough to make it difficult to discern the real from the fake. Readers spurred to research which story is false are given some tips. The authors acknowledge the pitfalls of internet research and relying on Wikipedia, but a little oddly, there are no references to specific sources that debunk hoaxes and false news reports. Readers with a taste for trivia and the strange-but-true aspects of geography and history will find much to enjoy. (photos, source notes) (Nonfiction. 10-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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