The Secrets of Tree Taylor

Gr 5–8—It's 1963 and Tree Taylor has two goals for the summer before her freshman year of high school: to write an article that will earn her a spot on the school newspaper and to have her first kiss. When a shooting takes place in the 13-year-old's sleepy Missouri town, she sees it as an opportunity to showcase her journalism skills. As Tree begins to investigate the supposed accident, she befriends the woman involved. Tree soon finds that the knowledge of anyone's secrets comes coupled with the burden of dealing with them responsibly. Though Tree and her friends spend long days at the local swimming pool and nights dancing under the stars, Mackall also weaves in the era's tumultuous history, such as the U.S.'s presence in the Vietnam War. The protagonist grapples with the fact that the media is an authority of truth on issues at home and abroad, how "words in print became truth for readers—even if the press got it wrong," and whether some stories are best left unpublished. This novel would be a good discussion starter about ethics in journalism; budding reporters will especially appreciate the likable teen's passion and the quotes from famous writers interspersed throughout.—Amanda Mastrull, School Library Journal