One True Way

by Shannon Hitchcock

Overview

A heartening story of two girls who discover their friendship is something more. But how, among their backward town, will Sam and Allie face what they know is true about themselves?

Welcome to Daniel Boone Middle School in the 1970s, where teachers and coaches must hide who they are, and girls who like girls are forced to question their own choices. Presented in the voice of a premier storyteller, One True Way sheds exquisite light on what it means to be different, while at the same time being wholly true to oneself. Through the lives and influences of two girls, readers come to see that love is love is love. Set against the backdrop of history and politics that surrounded gay rights in the 1970s South, this novel is a thoughtful, eye-opening look at tolerance, acceptance, and change, and will widen the hearts of all readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338181746
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	05/28/2019
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	522,037
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Shannon Hitchcock is the author of One True Way which received a starred review from Kirkus Review. The critically acclaimed Ruby Lee & Me was a nominee for the 2017-2018 Nebraska Chapter Book Golden Sower Award, Pennsylvania’s Keystone Award, Iowa’s Children’s Choice Award, Japan’s Sakura Medal, and Alaska and Montana’s Battle of the Books. She divides her time between Tampa, Florida, and Hendersonville, North Carolina. For more, visit her website at shannonhitchcock.com.

Read an Excerpt

"Sam, have you ever kissed a boy?" "A couple times during Spin the Bottle. "Did you like it?""Not really. I'd rather play basketball with boys than kiss them. Hey, I got a question. Are we still having lunch tomorrow?""Why wouldn't we be?""I thought maybe you'd want to eat with Webb."Why did one date have to be such a big deal? "I'd rather have lunch with you." My voice sounded froggy."Ribbit, ribbit," Sam said. "Relax, Allie. I was just making sure."After she hung up, I sat cradling the phone for a long time.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for One True Way:*"Allie's levelheaded narration is refreshingly nuanced. Hitchcock unflinchingly characterizes the emotional struggles of being young and lesbian.... Throughout, Allie asks 'hard questions' about whether homosexuality is right in the eyes of the Bible or her community. Ultimately and affirmingly, her adult role models encourage her to be true to herself. A compelling and honest addition to the few existing stories about gay middle schoolers." — Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW"Shannon Hitchcock's important story shines a bright light on the struggles that LGBT kids had to deal with in the mid-1970s, giving us a context with which to understand more fully the same struggles that are happening today. In straightforward prose, this honest look shows us how far we've come, and at the same time doesn't deny how far we have to go." — Kathi Appelt, National Book Award Finalist and Newbery Honor-winning author of The Underneath"Young readers will find this novel to be ultimately uplifting and inspirational, particularly considering the current lack of middle-grade books with LGBTQ content." —Booklist

From the Publisher

12/04/2017
After moving from New Jersey to a conservative North Carolina town, Allie Drake has two goals for her first day at Daniel Boone Middle School: make a friend and join the newspaper staff. She accomplishes both after meeting a girl named Sam, “probably the friendliest person I’d ever met,” who introduces Allie to the newspaper’s editor. Allie has felt invisible ever since her brother, Eric, died in a car accident; her grieving parents separated; and her mother became oppressively overprotective. She’s instantly drawn to Sam (and the attraction is mutual), but Allie is afraid to confide in her mother, for fear of causing her “the kind of pain that Eric’s death had.” Setting her novel in the 1970s, Hitchcock (Ruby Lee & Me) sensitively explores the hurdles facing the girls’ tentative romance, including the teachings of Sam’s parents’ church and the realization that the dismissal of their favorite teachers, a lesbian couple, doesn’t bode well for their future together. A believable supporting cast helps deliver potent messages about the dangers of intolerance and the importance of being true to oneself. Ages 9–12. Agent: Deborah Warren, East-West Agency. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

12/01/2017
Gr 4–7—When a friendship between two girls in a small 1970s Southern town grows into something more, the community reacts in ways that will resonate with many youths today. After her older brother's death and parents' separation, seventh grader Allie Drake moves with her mother to rural North Carolina. She is taken under the wing of Samantha "Sam" Johnson, a confident, popular, gender nonconforming girl. A keenly observant aspiring reporter, Allie notices and wonders about those around her, using in-depth profiles in the school paper to get to know her new classmates. (Strangely, while several students open up to her about deeply personal topics that make them feel different from their peers, the single non-white character in the story never mentions race as a factor in his life.) As it becomes clear that she and Sam are in love, Allie is baffled by the unpredictable responses of family and friends, particularly the discomfort of her mother who has been vocally supportive of her lesbian teachers and gay uncle, and the unexpected support and acceptance from others. The sweetness of the girls' tender feelings for one another contrasts with the fear and secrecy they realize they must live with. Clear, unfussy writing and expert pacing will keep readers absorbed in this appealing novel that strikes a balance between being character- and plot-driven. VERDICT Compassionate and engaging, this may be a work of historical fiction but its depiction of prejudice remains relevant. Highly recommended for middle grade collections.—Laura Simeon, Open Window School Library, Bellevue, WA

School Library Journal

★ 2017-11-22
In 1977 North Carolina, a mutual crush is not so simple for seventh-grade girls Allie and Sam.Following the death of her older brother, Allie and her mom leave New Jersey and Allie's father behind. At her new school, Allie joins the newspaper staff and befriends charismatic, tomboyish Sam. When the girls' feelings for each other bloom beyond friendship, they feel pressured to keep their secret from kids and adults who would think they're "freaks." The (nearly all-white) town's animosity toward two lesbian teachers is a harrowing example for how some view same-sex relationships. The narrative leans into certain coming-out tropes, but Allie's levelheaded narration is refreshingly nuanced. Hitchcock unflinchingly characterizes the emotional struggles of being young and lesbian; Allie feels shame for disappointing her mother and snaps a rubber band against her wrist whenever she thinks about kissing Sam, while for Sam it may never be safe to come out in her conservative Christian household. Throughout, Allie asks "hard questions" about whether homosexuality is right in the eyes of the Bible or her community. Ultimately and affirmingly, her adult role models encourage her to be true to herself.A compelling and honest addition to the few existing stories about gay middle schoolers. (Historical fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews