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Lexie's Little Lie
Lexie and her cousin Eleni are super-crazy-mega-extra-seriously close. They're like twins who aren't actually twins, if that's possible. But when Lexie tells a terrible, jealous lie, her whole family is split apart.
It's up to Lexie to bring them all back together and fix her relationship with Eleni. After a few calamitous escapades, Lexie has discovered that there are all sorts of truths and all sorts of lies too...But when is the truth more hurtful than a lie?
It's up to Lexie to bring them all back together and fix her relationship with Eleni. After a few calamitous escapades, Lexie has discovered that there are all sorts of truths and all sorts of lies too...But when is the truth more hurtful than a lie?
288 pages, Hardcover
Published April 2, 2019
About the author
Emma Shevah
12 books31 followersEmma Shevah is half-Irish and half-Thai. She was born and raised in London but has lived in Australia, Japan, India and Jerusalem. She now lives in London with her family and works far too much. Emma has been a fire-juggler, restaurant manager, copy writer, vegetarian take away server, CV advisor, features writer and blogger, and is currently a freewheeling philosopher and cosmic English-teaching novelist and mystic.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
March 27, 2019
This is a bit like Big Fat Greek Wedding for kids -- with recipes! Definitely planning to try both of them even if I can't pronounce them. Along with family, this book explores truth. From the initial car keys incident she is getting mixed messages from those around her. She is confused and panics when she sees her family disintegrating. Her ultimate decision and the symmetry of the plot elevate this book into something special. Kids will walk a few miles in Lexie's shoes, learn about Greek culture and might even get to make a special dessert after finishing this book.
A big thank you to Sourcebooks and Edelweiss for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A big thank you to Sourcebooks and Edelweiss for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 16, 2019
This was such a great read. Pitch perfect voice tween voice, really funny writing. It looks at the complex relationship we have with the truth... especially when it comes to how we explain lying to kids-- when it's okay to lie, when telling the truth is hurtful, etc.
Very smart, very funny and very moving. I loved the big Greek family in this story and the rift that comes between everybody felt so real.
I really loved this book. I laughed. I cried. I got very hungry for Greek food.
Very smart, very funny and very moving. I loved the big Greek family in this story and the rift that comes between everybody felt so real.
I really loved this book. I laughed. I cried. I got very hungry for Greek food.
May 14, 2018
I liked this. Shevah is one of those authors whom I've been aware of for a while but never got quite round to reading; suffice to say, she's a joy and this is a solid and richly told story of family fit to put alongside the work of Hilary McKay, Jacqueline Wilson and Susie Day.
'What Lexie Did' follows a lie that spirals out of control in that way that lies can and so often do. Lexie is best friends with her cousin, Eleni, who has a heart condition, and has looked after her all of her life. Their friendship is one of delicious intimacy and all consuming-closeness, again in that way that early girl friendships so often are, but all that is tested after Lexie tells her lie. It ends up pulling the family apart, exposing tensions between her parents and Eleni's parents, Eleni and Lexie, Lexie and everyone, and everything goes horribly wrong. She knows she has to tell the truth - but where? When? How?
Shevah's got this lovely richness about her work, and I was very pleased to see that she'd spent some time ensuring the honesty of writing about a Greek Cypriot family. It pays off; this is a book that's thick with identity and loveliness. Shevah also deserves plaudits for her handling of the adults; they're realistic and sympathetically drawn. I liked this a lot. It's a genuine, heartfelt and rich book - and any book that has a cinnamon cake recipe at the back of it is a good book by me.
My thanks to the publishers for a review copy.
'What Lexie Did' follows a lie that spirals out of control in that way that lies can and so often do. Lexie is best friends with her cousin, Eleni, who has a heart condition, and has looked after her all of her life. Their friendship is one of delicious intimacy and all consuming-closeness, again in that way that early girl friendships so often are, but all that is tested after Lexie tells her lie. It ends up pulling the family apart, exposing tensions between her parents and Eleni's parents, Eleni and Lexie, Lexie and everyone, and everything goes horribly wrong. She knows she has to tell the truth - but where? When? How?
Shevah's got this lovely richness about her work, and I was very pleased to see that she'd spent some time ensuring the honesty of writing about a Greek Cypriot family. It pays off; this is a book that's thick with identity and loveliness. Shevah also deserves plaudits for her handling of the adults; they're realistic and sympathetically drawn. I liked this a lot. It's a genuine, heartfelt and rich book - and any book that has a cinnamon cake recipe at the back of it is a good book by me.
My thanks to the publishers for a review copy.
January 8, 2019
This book was a Christmas book from a friend and I thought it looked quite cute. The first couple of pages were really easy to fall in to and after that, the pace is just perfect.
I know little bits about Greek culture but this book really sucked me in to that way of life and made me a bit jealous! To have such a strong sense of family and heritage must be a truly amazing thing. I like that the relationship between Lexie and Eleni goes one step further and there is even deeper bond that seems both unbreakable and yet incredibly fragile at times. I'm not giving any spoilers but the beginning and ending tie together beautifully and though the ending isn't completely happy, it was satisfying.
Shevah infuses humour throughout the novel, leaning on a truly authentic 9 year old voice and Lexie's perceptions of her family, God and halloumi. The pages were so sweet as well, with doodles around the outside as if it was Lexie's diary we are reading.
On the face of it, this novel is funny and sweet and full of friendship and family yet it digs deeper. The story centres around honesty. Lexie 'snitches' on a new friend and is reprimanded by the adults, who preach telling the truth, and upsets her friends and siblings. When she doesn't tell on a different friend for something else, she is also punished. She is expected to tell the truth by the adults and told to lie by Eleni but when she does lie, it upsets Eleni and has huge consequences. I thought Shevah exploited the notions of deception and truth cleverly through Lexie, who reflects on adults preaching the importance of honesty while lying about things to, if we are quite truthful, manipulate children. It highlighted that the answer is not as black and white as we want it to be and I enjoyed having my perceptions challenged.
All in all, I found this to be a vibrant, contemporary and culturally novel that shows Shevah has researched and engaged with Greek-Cypriot family life to an extremely high standard. Novels such as this are the reason I love Chicken House and the books they publish; their novels and authors are original, cutting edge and excite and engage children. I can't wait to read more of Shevah's work in future and get my year 6's fired up about this.
January 9, 2021
What Lexie Did was sorta like a Dream on Amber format. It was super funny, relatable, and realistic! I enjoyed reading about Lexie’s Greek family and their distinctive personalities, and the story line was relatable. Definitely recommended you enjoyed Dream on Amber. :)
November 29, 2021
So, this book I clearly loved! I really enjoyed the characters and the plot of the story. However, I think this book kinda had a slow start in the beginning. It was kinda boring just for a little bit, until the drama came. Anyways, this book was awesome, and I’m definitely going to read more books by this author.
May 9, 2019
**Spoiler-free!**
Lexie's Little Lie is a story about two Greek families, a wedding necklace, two cousins, and the extreme drama and grief that can come when somebody passes in the family. Lexie is a cousin (though they insist they're twins) to Eleni, a girl who was born with a defective heart. They call Eleni the miracle child, because she survived open-heart surgery right after she was born, though they put Lexie in her crib next to her, and the two babies comforted each other. Eleni and Lexie have been inseparable ever since.
This book is something of a coming-of-age story, where Lexie has to learn about friendships, developing one's own personality, and when to tell the truth and when to lie. When the family's grandmother passes away, her wedding necklace comes into dispute - and Lexie tells a lie that tears their family apart.
Summary aside, there's some good things about this book, and there's some bad things.
We'll start with the bad.
The young voice kind of felt forced. Lexie goes on these very strange tangents on how to describe things throughout the entire book - the sky, nail polish, etc. At first it's kind of cute, but it wears down on you page after page. There's times in the book when the young voice is pretty good - like when Lexie's mom is mad and she doesn't know what to do. She clams up. A lot of books write that the child responds, but let's be real - if mom's so mad she's literally screaming and slamming doors, you pretend to be a piece of the wall.
The first piece of drama that happens is Anastasia (new cousin to the family) is at a picnic with all of the family present, grabs Lexie's dad's car keys, and chucks them into the ocean. Understandably, when the parents begin looking for them, Lexie tells them Anastasia threw them into the ocean, and all of the children get mad at her for "snitching."
Ya'll, I grew up in a pretty strict family. If my brother "told on" my cousin for throwing something as important as CAR KEYS into the ocean, and I gave him the silent treatment and said he was a "snitch" you bet your bottom dollar there would have been consequences to pay. You don't mess around with stuff like that. To get into your vehicle, you might have to pay to have a locksmith come out and jimmy open the window, and that's at least $100.
So instead Lexie's parents pat her on the head, tell her she's a good girl, and then do the distracted-parent thing and tell her siblings to stop being mean to her for snitching.
Oof. I did not like that scene. It means Anastasia's parents are far too easy on her, she's acting out for attention, (because why the hell would she throw car keys into the ocean anyway?!), or legit nobody cared.
Regardless. The good things about this book:
The depictions of grief, and the process of grieving, are all pretty on the mark. Grief is illogical. It comes in waves, when you are doing the most mundane things. It knocks the breath out of you when you think you're just fine. And this book is pretty good about showcasing that.
The other good thing about this book: their grandmother decided to change tradition (for a good reason, mind you) about gifting this necklace to the eldest girl in the family. Understandably, when that comes into question, it starts an absolute nuclear blast that radiates some massive fallout.
The family drama was pretty alright. I liked it.
Overall, it was kind of a meh book. Super easy to read and polished off in one sitting.
Probably won't read it again, though.
Lexie's Little Lie is a story about two Greek families, a wedding necklace, two cousins, and the extreme drama and grief that can come when somebody passes in the family. Lexie is a cousin (though they insist they're twins) to Eleni, a girl who was born with a defective heart. They call Eleni the miracle child, because she survived open-heart surgery right after she was born, though they put Lexie in her crib next to her, and the two babies comforted each other. Eleni and Lexie have been inseparable ever since.
This book is something of a coming-of-age story, where Lexie has to learn about friendships, developing one's own personality, and when to tell the truth and when to lie. When the family's grandmother passes away, her wedding necklace comes into dispute - and Lexie tells a lie that tears their family apart.
Summary aside, there's some good things about this book, and there's some bad things.
We'll start with the bad.
The young voice kind of felt forced. Lexie goes on these very strange tangents on how to describe things throughout the entire book - the sky, nail polish, etc. At first it's kind of cute, but it wears down on you page after page. There's times in the book when the young voice is pretty good - like when Lexie's mom is mad and she doesn't know what to do. She clams up. A lot of books write that the child responds, but let's be real - if mom's so mad she's literally screaming and slamming doors, you pretend to be a piece of the wall.
The first piece of drama that happens is Anastasia (new cousin to the family) is at a picnic with all of the family present, grabs Lexie's dad's car keys, and chucks them into the ocean. Understandably, when the parents begin looking for them, Lexie tells them Anastasia threw them into the ocean, and all of the children get mad at her for "snitching."
Ya'll, I grew up in a pretty strict family. If my brother "told on" my cousin for throwing something as important as CAR KEYS into the ocean, and I gave him the silent treatment and said he was a "snitch" you bet your bottom dollar there would have been consequences to pay. You don't mess around with stuff like that. To get into your vehicle, you might have to pay to have a locksmith come out and jimmy open the window, and that's at least $100.
So instead Lexie's parents pat her on the head, tell her she's a good girl, and then do the distracted-parent thing and tell her siblings to stop being mean to her for snitching.
Oof. I did not like that scene. It means Anastasia's parents are far too easy on her, she's acting out for attention, (because why the hell would she throw car keys into the ocean anyway?!), or legit nobody cared.
Regardless. The good things about this book:
The depictions of grief, and the process of grieving, are all pretty on the mark. Grief is illogical. It comes in waves, when you are doing the most mundane things. It knocks the breath out of you when you think you're just fine. And this book is pretty good about showcasing that.
The other good thing about this book: their grandmother decided to change tradition (for a good reason, mind you) about gifting this necklace to the eldest girl in the family. Understandably, when that comes into question, it starts an absolute nuclear blast that radiates some massive fallout.
The family drama was pretty alright. I liked it.
Overall, it was kind of a meh book. Super easy to read and polished off in one sitting.
Probably won't read it again, though.
June 7, 2019
This book caught my attention, because the characters are Cypriot. I married into a Cypriot family. Good lesson about telling a lie that grows out of control and telling the truth in the end.
November 15, 2018
Lexie and Eleni are as close as twins, growing up together after spending their lives literally by each others sides as Lexie helped Eleni stay alive after she had to have many operations on her heart as a young baby.
Now, their huge Greek family is divided after a lie and secrets hidden from the family by Lexie. Also missing Eleni as she becomes best friends with new girl Anastasia Lexus feels left out and a bit lonely.
As she tries to get her mum talking to her sister and her family again to reunite the two halves of their huge family once again, she comes to realise how different life could've been growing up but more importantly that the truth is always best and lying is the worst thing ever not to mention how her grandma and God would feel watching her lie to everyone...
A family divided by a lie this book shows how harmful lies can be and the impact they have on all those effected not just the one person telling the lie. We see how friendships can be changed and how death can cause people to react differently. It's an emotional and honest book sure to win your heart.
Now, their huge Greek family is divided after a lie and secrets hidden from the family by Lexie. Also missing Eleni as she becomes best friends with new girl Anastasia Lexus feels left out and a bit lonely.
As she tries to get her mum talking to her sister and her family again to reunite the two halves of their huge family once again, she comes to realise how different life could've been growing up but more importantly that the truth is always best and lying is the worst thing ever not to mention how her grandma and God would feel watching her lie to everyone...
A family divided by a lie this book shows how harmful lies can be and the impact they have on all those effected not just the one person telling the lie. We see how friendships can be changed and how death can cause people to react differently. It's an emotional and honest book sure to win your heart.
June 16, 2018
This is about Lexie, a young Greek Cypriot, as a new girl and her family arrive in their close-knit community and this sets in motion a chain of events in which Lexie tells a lie about a family heirloom that threatens to break her family, and her friendship with cousin Eleni, apart forever. The friendship Eleni and Lexie had was so sweet, and I absolutely adored the heart-warming big family dynamic of the book. I thought Lexie was a fantastic character even though she has flaws, and I thought the situations she faces, such as how people treat her when she `tells tales` are incredibly relatable and will be to lots of people who read the book. The subtle humour throughout made me chuckle often, and while I was unsure how things would end for most of the book, I thought the climax and the ending fit the book perfectly. A truly lovely contemporary MG. 4.5/5
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September 28, 2021This is a story about a girl names Lexi and her cousin Eleni. They are super close to each other and get along great together. They feel like as if they are basically sisters. But throughout the story Lexie continues to tell lies and ends up telling the most awful lie in her life. It end up making her whole family split apart. Lexie knows it's up to her to bring her family back together. After trying to get everyone back together she realizes you can't believe what everyone says because there's all sorts of lies in the world. But also realizes that sometimes telling the truth can hurt more then a lie.
September 12, 2018
This is a really enjoyable book. I loved the multi-cultural aspect with a Greek-Cypriot girl growing up in London. Lexie is a fantastic character - flawed but well-meaning - and I'm sure any child can relate to the response she gets for "telling tales" and how confusing it can be trying to work out what the right thing to do is. The friendship between Lexie and Eleni is wonderful. A lovely book that I definitely recommend.
July 20, 2020
I remember, well we probably all do, being that child who told a lie that snowballed out of control and just ended up making things so, so bad.
This book deals with that and does a pretty decent job of explaining the torment that a child feels when the lie has caused so much destruction.
It is a bit long in parts and younger children might become frustrated but overall I think it is a good pick for school libraries.
This book deals with that and does a pretty decent job of explaining the torment that a child feels when the lie has caused so much destruction.
It is a bit long in parts and younger children might become frustrated but overall I think it is a good pick for school libraries.
December 1, 2018
A well intentioned lie has terrible consequences for the entire family. From advanced reader copy.
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December 13, 2019Fiction S5547w 2019
April 17, 2020
Cute little book. Greek Pappou was super fun.
August 22, 2020
Lovely little book.
December 31, 2020
OMG IT WAS ABOUT MY FAVORITE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD GREECE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 2, 2021
This books heartbreaking but also great
January 31, 2023
Friendship, loyalty, family, traditions and sisterhood all in this entertaining book, loved Leni's character I'm always rooting for this type of characters.
January 16, 2026
I love this book sooooooooo much! 5 stars! 💗
December 25, 2020
Middle-grade, funny, poignant, realistic drama about a 10 yo girl who lies to spare her mother's feelings but also because she is jealous of a new friend who is coming between her and her bestie. It reads like a middle grade We Were Liars, where dramas about inheritance threaten to tear a family apart. Fantastic voice, and one of my favourite reads of 2020 from one of the best middle-grade writers out there.
November 22, 2019
This is a good book to show how one little lie can snowball into something major. I liked the Greek family parts and I liked the whole Eleni/Lexie baby history. However, I was confused about the whale song parts. I might have missed something that explained it better, but it just seemed to take away from the flow of the story.
CA
CA
April 14, 2018
What Lexie Did is not my first book by Emma Shevah. I have also read both of her previous books, Dream on, Amber and Dara Palmer’s Major Drama. Thus I had a good idea of what to expect writing wise when I started this book. However, I am absolutely pleased to let you know that What Lexie Did is even better than her previous books. I was absolutely blown away by this book. It had me emotionally invested from the very beginning and I became very attached to the characters as well. It was family and friendship centered book and it was completely wonderful.
What Lexie Did follows Lexie and her family during a particular trying time for them all. From the offset, the reader is shown how close the family are and I instantly connected with them all. They were so lively and lovely. As the story continues, cracks start to form and it is emotional and heart breaking to read. Emma Shevah has done a fantastic job of bringing out real emotions in the reader. The story line was addictive and entertaining, forcing the reader to keep turning the page.
As this is a character-led story evolving around Lexie, her lie and her family, it is obviously important that the characters are well written. Fortunately, they absolutely are. I loved all of them. The whole family dynamic was really fun to read and coming from a big family myself, a refreshing read too. I especially loved Lexie, Eleni, and their grandparents. I felt like all the characters could just walk off the page.
As you can tell, What Lexie Did is an exceptional read and one that I would definitely recommend to others. It is full of character, emotional moments, and really shows the importance of family and friendship. It is full of drama, pain, hope and love, and it is absolutely adorable. I cannot stop thinking about this book, in all honesty. It is just so wonderfully written. So, if you’re looking for a unique, lovely and essentially heart-warming book, definitely give this book a read!
What Lexie Did follows Lexie and her family during a particular trying time for them all. From the offset, the reader is shown how close the family are and I instantly connected with them all. They were so lively and lovely. As the story continues, cracks start to form and it is emotional and heart breaking to read. Emma Shevah has done a fantastic job of bringing out real emotions in the reader. The story line was addictive and entertaining, forcing the reader to keep turning the page.
As this is a character-led story evolving around Lexie, her lie and her family, it is obviously important that the characters are well written. Fortunately, they absolutely are. I loved all of them. The whole family dynamic was really fun to read and coming from a big family myself, a refreshing read too. I especially loved Lexie, Eleni, and their grandparents. I felt like all the characters could just walk off the page.
As you can tell, What Lexie Did is an exceptional read and one that I would definitely recommend to others. It is full of character, emotional moments, and really shows the importance of family and friendship. It is full of drama, pain, hope and love, and it is absolutely adorable. I cannot stop thinking about this book, in all honesty. It is just so wonderfully written. So, if you’re looking for a unique, lovely and essentially heart-warming book, definitely give this book a read!
February 27, 2019
@kidlitexchange #partner
Thank you to the @kidlitexchange network for the advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Lexie comes from a large and close Greek Cypriot family in London. Her mother and aunt (her mom's sister) are best friends and their families pretty much do everything together. Lexie's bestfriend is her cousin, Eleni. In fact, they're so close that that the words bestfriend and cousin aren't descriptive enough and Lexie prefers to think of them as twins. They were born days apart, but Eleni was born with a heart problem and they didn't think she'd make it through the night, so their family laid baby Lexie next to her, and Eleni made it through the night, and the next night, and the next night. They have been inseparable since. This starts to change when Anastasia moves into the neighborhood and Lexie starts to feel as if she is trying to steal Eleni away. This is also when Lexie's struggle with lies and thr truth begins. After Anastasia throws Lexie's family's keys into the sea, Lexie tells the truth about who did it (because it's always best to tell the truth, right?), which leads to her getting in trouble and her siblings, cousins, and the other neighborhood kids upset with her for being a narc. Lexie thought she did the right thing, but Eleni tells her she should have just lied. This send Lexie down a path of lying that leads her family to have a horrible fight. To see how the issue is resolved and what Lexie learns about lying and the truth, you'll have to read the book.
This was a cute middle grade book about a topic anyone can relate to: when, if ever, is it okay to lie? Lexie's struggles with her friendship with her cousin and her family are relatable and readers can connect with the feeling of thinking they're losing a friend and not knowing what to do about it. Additionally, it's relatable in that we've all told lies (some small and harmless and others probably not so much) that we've later regretted. Overall, the book acknowledges the struggles related to lying and sends a positive message about telling the truth. The book was engaging and funny. Lexie is incredibly likable (even if she doesn't think so). I also loved the illustrations around the pages as it really gave the feel that you were inside of and reading Lexie's notebook. I will definitely be recommending this book to my students.
Thank you to the @kidlitexchange network for the advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Lexie comes from a large and close Greek Cypriot family in London. Her mother and aunt (her mom's sister) are best friends and their families pretty much do everything together. Lexie's bestfriend is her cousin, Eleni. In fact, they're so close that that the words bestfriend and cousin aren't descriptive enough and Lexie prefers to think of them as twins. They were born days apart, but Eleni was born with a heart problem and they didn't think she'd make it through the night, so their family laid baby Lexie next to her, and Eleni made it through the night, and the next night, and the next night. They have been inseparable since. This starts to change when Anastasia moves into the neighborhood and Lexie starts to feel as if she is trying to steal Eleni away. This is also when Lexie's struggle with lies and thr truth begins. After Anastasia throws Lexie's family's keys into the sea, Lexie tells the truth about who did it (because it's always best to tell the truth, right?), which leads to her getting in trouble and her siblings, cousins, and the other neighborhood kids upset with her for being a narc. Lexie thought she did the right thing, but Eleni tells her she should have just lied. This send Lexie down a path of lying that leads her family to have a horrible fight. To see how the issue is resolved and what Lexie learns about lying and the truth, you'll have to read the book.
This was a cute middle grade book about a topic anyone can relate to: when, if ever, is it okay to lie? Lexie's struggles with her friendship with her cousin and her family are relatable and readers can connect with the feeling of thinking they're losing a friend and not knowing what to do about it. Additionally, it's relatable in that we've all told lies (some small and harmless and others probably not so much) that we've later regretted. Overall, the book acknowledges the struggles related to lying and sends a positive message about telling the truth. The book was engaging and funny. Lexie is incredibly likable (even if she doesn't think so). I also loved the illustrations around the pages as it really gave the feel that you were inside of and reading Lexie's notebook. I will definitely be recommending this book to my students.
September 29, 2019
Oh, what a sweet book! It’s the story of a big fat Greek Cypriot extended family and Greek community. The author has crafted a perfect middle grade exploration about honesty and family, while perfectly capturing the nuances of Greek American culture.
Lexie and her cousin Eleni are best friends. They were born within days of each other and are inseparable. That is, until Anastasia shows up. Eleni and Anastasia bond, leaving Lexie left out. When Anastasia throws the family car keys into the sea at a picnic, Lexie tells on her. All the kids at the picnic shun Lexie for snitching, causing Lexie to start thinking about when it’s appropriate to tell the truth or lie. She wrestles with the concept throughout the book, experimenting with the shades of gray between truth and deception.
Soon after the picnic, Lexie’s and Elena’s yiayia tells the two girls that she wants Eleni to be the recipient of a family heirloom necklace, which would break with family tradition. A few days later, Yiayia dies. The family, reeling from the loss of their matriarch, argue over the necklace, all while Lexie frets about what to reveal.
The argument escalates, splitting the family apart; the two girls’ mothers refusing to be in the same room together.
The story is perfect for middle grade readers, and it explores the themes of family, honesty, and friendship. Lexie’s narration is hysterical.
What I am in awe of is the accuracy of which the the author, Emma Shevah, portrays the Greek American family. She nails it. I can’t believe she’s not Greek. In particular, Pappou’s English follows Greek grammatical syntax exactly as it would be translated by a Greek speaking English as a second language. It’s not just broken English.
The Greek American family dynamics, traditions and quirks are absolutely spot on. And recipes!
I am buying multiple copies of this book and giving them to all my extended Greek family members who have kids in elementary and early middle school. It’s brilliant. Brava, Emma Sheva!
Lexie and her cousin Eleni are best friends. They were born within days of each other and are inseparable. That is, until Anastasia shows up. Eleni and Anastasia bond, leaving Lexie left out. When Anastasia throws the family car keys into the sea at a picnic, Lexie tells on her. All the kids at the picnic shun Lexie for snitching, causing Lexie to start thinking about when it’s appropriate to tell the truth or lie. She wrestles with the concept throughout the book, experimenting with the shades of gray between truth and deception.
Soon after the picnic, Lexie’s and Elena’s yiayia tells the two girls that she wants Eleni to be the recipient of a family heirloom necklace, which would break with family tradition. A few days later, Yiayia dies. The family, reeling from the loss of their matriarch, argue over the necklace, all while Lexie frets about what to reveal.
The argument escalates, splitting the family apart; the two girls’ mothers refusing to be in the same room together.
The story is perfect for middle grade readers, and it explores the themes of family, honesty, and friendship. Lexie’s narration is hysterical.
What I am in awe of is the accuracy of which the the author, Emma Shevah, portrays the Greek American family. She nails it. I can’t believe she’s not Greek. In particular, Pappou’s English follows Greek grammatical syntax exactly as it would be translated by a Greek speaking English as a second language. It’s not just broken English.
The Greek American family dynamics, traditions and quirks are absolutely spot on. And recipes!
I am buying multiple copies of this book and giving them to all my extended Greek family members who have kids in elementary and early middle school. It’s brilliant. Brava, Emma Sheva!
February 5, 2019
Lexie and her cousin Eleni are the very best of friends to the point where they finish each other's sentences and spoon together in a single bed when they have sleepovers. As an infant, Eleni had a heart condition and had to have surgery three times before the age of two. Family lore says that Lexie saved Eleni's life as a newborn when the two were placed together in the NICU and their bond was forged. Now they are ten years old and their relationship is beginning to change. First, a new friend named Anastasia threatens to divide them and then when their YiaYia (grandmother) passes away, an argument over who inherits a special family necklace threatens to divide the entire family. Lexie has learned that telling the truth can be complicated -- sometimes people want her to lie and sometimes telling the truth can hurt people she loves. How can Lexie bring her family back together?
Family connections shine in this middle grade book about a Greek family. Black and white doodles in the margins, occasional lists on hand-drawn notebook paper and some specially chosen enlarged words make this book a joy to peruse. With believable drama and a satisfying conclusion, this will be a strong choice for many readers.
Family connections shine in this middle grade book about a Greek family. Black and white doodles in the margins, occasional lists on hand-drawn notebook paper and some specially chosen enlarged words make this book a joy to peruse. With believable drama and a satisfying conclusion, this will be a strong choice for many readers.
February 12, 2019
Lexie is a young girl from a large Greek-Cypriot family, living in London. She is best friends (almost twins) with her cousin Eleni, who has a heart condition. However, Lexie finds her large family torn apart following a lie that she told. The lie spins out of control, having a disastrous impact on her whole family. Will she be able to live with what she's done?
This book features well written family relationships and demonstrates the impact of conflict on such a large family. I loved the way that Lexie's family was presented and I appreciate the effort that Emma Shevah put in to ensure the Greek family culture was accurately represented. The characters are realistically written with lots of personality and depth and I became very attached to the family as a whole.
The main theme of this book is honesty and Lexie struggles to understand when it is acceptable to lie and when she must tell the truth. I was really struck by the frank discussion of lying and I feel that younger readers will relate to learning to navigate the truth and lies in life.
Ideal for: middle grader readers aged 9-13 years.
This book features well written family relationships and demonstrates the impact of conflict on such a large family. I loved the way that Lexie's family was presented and I appreciate the effort that Emma Shevah put in to ensure the Greek family culture was accurately represented. The characters are realistically written with lots of personality and depth and I became very attached to the family as a whole.
The main theme of this book is honesty and Lexie struggles to understand when it is acceptable to lie and when she must tell the truth. I was really struck by the frank discussion of lying and I feel that younger readers will relate to learning to navigate the truth and lies in life.
Ideal for: middle grader readers aged 9-13 years.
March 19, 2019
I loved this book! Thats all :)
05/05/19 - Made my mum read it and she said it made her cry (in a good way) and she also loved this book!
05/05/19 - Made my mum read it and she said it made her cry (in a good way) and she also loved this book!
August 24, 2019
2019
Friendship, family, global/international, 3rd grade approx
I enjoyed this quick easy read because telling lies is so common for elementary children (hey, even adults). But my favorite part of this book was learning about the greek culture, traditions, faith, etc.
Two cousins are like twins because they were born close together and one helpe the other heal from heart trouble. Yet, their friendship or twinship is challenged when another cousin arrives. Lots of jealousy and some lies.....
Friendship, family, global/international, 3rd grade approx
I enjoyed this quick easy read because telling lies is so common for elementary children (hey, even adults). But my favorite part of this book was learning about the greek culture, traditions, faith, etc.
Two cousins are like twins because they were born close together and one helpe the other heal from heart trouble. Yet, their friendship or twinship is challenged when another cousin arrives. Lots of jealousy and some lies.....
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