The Honest Truth is about a boy named mark who has cancer. It is a realistic fiction book and it is by Dan Gemeinhart. When Mark was younger his grandpa had died and Mark had promised him that he would climb the mountain that his grandpa had always wanted to. The mountain is named Mount Rainier. When Mark started to feel sick again, he went to the doctor to get medical tests and the doctors found out the he had cancer all over again. Mark was very upset. Mark had remembered what he had promised and he started to pack for the mountains and of course he brought his dog Beau. Before Mark left, he left a note for his best friend Jesse. He was very smart and tricked the police by buying tickets for the train, but the buying tickets for the bus online and then going on the bus. On the way to the mountain he went through some very tough obstacles. In the first night some teenage guys beat him up and stole most of his money. On his second night it was very stormy and he had to find somewhere to sleep. He found a little island across a big stream. There was a long leading to the island. When he was almost across the long with his dog behind him, he slipped and fell into the black river. His dog jumped in to get him. When they finally got out of the water, Mark made a fire and they both tried to stay warm during the night. On the third day it was very stormy and he started to head to the mountain. While he was walking a truck pulled over and the guy in it told Mark and Beau to get in. Wesley was the guy that drove the truck. Wesley knew that Mark was the guy in the newspaper that ran away from home. Mark asked Wesley to bring to the mountain, but he said that Mark only had one hour before Wesley would call someone. When Mark was in the middle of the mountain there was a crevice. They had to jump over it, but Beau fell in. Eventually Mark got him out. Mark was getting so weak that he had to find somewhere to rest, so he laid down. Beau ran to get help, and then when Mark woke up next he was in the hospital with all his family and friends.
The main character in this book is Mark. Mark is very complex because he is sneaky and smart. He is sneaky because when he first left he knew the police would ask the man working at the ticket both what tickets he brought, so he bought tickets for the train and then also buying tickets for the bus online and then going on the bus. Then the police thought he went on the train. He is also sneaky because when he went in the train for the second time he didn’t buy tickets, he just went in and tried to be unnoticed. He is smart because he knew that dogs weren’t allowed on buses so he put Beau in a duffle bag and no one noticed that he had a dog. He is also smart because when Wesley asked him how far he would go up the mountain, Mark said just a little, so Wesley would let him go.
The life lesson in this book is that you should follow your dreams. I think this because Mark’s dream was that he would climb that mountain for his grandpa. The weather went with the story because when Mark was out in the mountain and back at home the parents were very worried, it was stormy. That shows that it was a very sad and scary time. The problem in this book is that Mark had cancer and no one thought that he could do anything, but he could. I really like this book and at some points it made me really sad. I think everyone should read this book. Bye!