Web of Lies - Hardcover

Naidoo, Beverley

3.46

95 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060760753 ISBN 13: 9780060760755

Publisher: Amistad Books for Young Readers, 2006

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Femi is in trouble.

He's gotten involved with a gang of older boys and is telling so many lies to his family, he can hardly keep his head straight. His sister, Sade, knows something is going on, but she doesn't want to worry their father while he's waiting to hear if the family will be granted asylum in Britain. But with Femi growing more and more involved with the criminal gang, how long will any of them be safe?

In this sequel to Carnegie Medal winner The Other Side of Truth, acclaimed author Beverley Naidoo once again tells the story of Nigerian refugees Femi and Sade. With unflinching realism, she presents the dangers the siblings face -- not in Africa this time, but in a school very much like one of our own.

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About the Author:

Beverley Naidoo grew up in South Africa under apartheid. She says: "As a white child I didn't question the terrible injustices until I was a student. I decided then that unless I joined the resistance, I was part of the problem." Beverley Naidoo was detained without trial when she was twenty-one and later went into exile in Britain, where she has since lived.

Her first children's book, Journey to Jo'burg, was banned in South Africa until 1991, but it was an eye-opener for thousands of readers worldwide. Her characters in Chain of Fire, No Turning Back, and Out of Bounds face extraordinary challenges in a society she describes as "more dangerous than any fantasy." She has won many awards for her writing, including the Carnegie Medal, the Jane Addams Book Award, and the American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults for The Other Side of Truth, about two refugee children smuggled to London who are also featured in Web of Lies.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 6-9 This sequel to The Other Side of Truth (HarperCollins, 2001) continues the story of Sade and Femi, now back with their father, as they struggle to fit in at their London school. Femi faces pressure to join a gang, and as he becomes increasingly enmeshed in its activities, his lies to his family become more serious. Eventually he is arrested when a gang member is stabbed and he is caught running away from the scene. This is a gritty and credible story of how a young teen can be unintentionally pulled into a gang, as well as a cautionary tale with a touch of didacticism, African-style. However, it is also a heart-warming story of a family struggling through difficult circumstances, including grief over their mother's murder, economic difficulties, and the culture shock of being refugees in a foreign country. This novel is about the power of telling the truth and the poison of lying. As the three family members slowly learn to confide in one another, their relationships are healed, even if their circumstances are not resolved. While Femi is at the center of this story, Sade's feelings are revealed through her journal. Naidoo integrates Nigerian culture seamlessly into the British context, revealing the complex social world inhabited by immigrants. Readers will look forward to the next installment in the Solajas' story. Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City
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