Why do grown-ups think it's okay not to tell kids the truth? When Mo told Meggie her mom had gone away, he let her think her mom didn't care enough about her to stay. In reality Meggie's mom was trapped in a whole different world and probably would have done anything to get back. The truth was certainly weird, but the truth is kids can handle weird stuff!

Let's consider the arguments. For many years, Mo didn't tell Meggie that his gift of storytelling led to her mother being read into a book. Maybe he felt ashamed of his part in the situation or like the truth would hurt Meggie too much. He probably felt like he was protecting Meggie by not telling her, but when she finally found out, she was much less prepared for all the strange twists she would encounter.

Some might say she'd feel powerless knowing the real situation, but thinking her mom had just gone away left her feeling powerless as well. And Meggie proved herself to be anything but a powerless individual. She helped Fenoglio carry out the plan to turn the tables on Capricorn. She was incredibly brave when she read aloud for Capricorn and all his followers.

Maybe if Mo had known how strong and capable Meggie could be, he would have told her everything from the start. We can all learn from Meggie and Mo's experience. Grown-ups need to realize that protecting kids doesn't mean lying to them. Bad things happen in this world, but if we take the time to talk together, it's almost always better to tell the truth!