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2017 Nominee

Gospel Truth

Written by Caroline Pignat.
Published in 2015 by Red Deer Press.

Award-winning author Caroline Pignat’s new historical novel recreates the world of a Virginia tobacco plantation in 1858. Through the different points of view of slaves, their masters and a visiting bird-watcher the world of the plantation comes to live in this verse novel.

Phoebe belongs to Master Duncan and works in the plantation kitchen. She sees how the other slaves are treated the beatings and whippings, the disappearances. She hasn’t seen her mother since Master Duncan sold her ten years ago. But Pheobe is trying to learn words and how to read and when she is asked to show the master’s Canadian visitor, Doctor Bergman, where he can find warblers and chickadees she starts to see things differently. And Doctor Bergman has more in mind that just drawing the local birds.

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6 thoughts on “Gospel Truth

  1. St. Jerome School

    Really liked this book and how it was written in verse and from several points of view. I wanted to know what happened to Pheobe after…

  2. Connaught Elementary

    I think this book was very well written, because it is written from the point of view of several different characters. It is also written in the way they would have talked (which is sometimes difficult to understand, but read that part over) during that time in American history. I like also that it is very honest without shocking the reader. This is a very well written novel and easy to get through (even if you have to read some parts over) I highly recommend this novel to all students in grade 4 and up.

  3. Springbank Middle School

    I liked the setting and the way that the author developed her characters. I liked the style of writing and I loved the way this story touched my heart.

  4. Springbank Middle School

    I liked this book because it was different from what I usually read, but still managed to have me on edge, trying to guess what happens next.

  5. Westglen School

    I would give this book 5 stars because it has lots of twists and cliff hanger. I would recommend this book to people who love long books, who like sad stories, and like short chapters.


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