I know this seems really crazy but this is the same book! In US this book, by Janae Marks, is called From the Desk of Zoe Washington published by Katherine Tegan Books an imprint of Harper Collins. In UK the title and cover image have been changed and for that market this same book is called The Faraway Truth published by Chicken House. I don't know why. Which cover/title do you like? In Australia I imagine the UK cover may have more appeal?
What do the titles mean or relate to?
From the desk of Zoe Washington
Zoe Washington, who has just turned twelve, finds a letter in the mail which has been sent by her father - Marcus. Marcus is in jail for murder. Zoe knows very little about all of this because it happened before she was born. These days she lives with her mum and step dad. Finding this letter puts her known world into a spin. Zoe knows there are secrets here which need to be revealed. She is sure her mother will not talk about Marcus so Zoe decides to write back and ask her own questions. Her grandmother gave Zoe some stationery for her eleventh birthday. It's fancy white paper with a decorative border and a heading which says "From the desk of Zoe Washington." Over the coming month Zoe and Marcus exchange letters. Perhaps Marcus is innocent. Can Zoe work out a way to prove this?
The Faraway Truth
Marcus is indeed faraway. He is in jail and Zoe is not supposed to be in contact with him. Luckily her Grandmother does agree to help her communicate with Marcus firstly by letter and later by phone. Finding the truth becomes a mission for Zoe but she only has fragments of information relating to an alibi who may remember Marcus from something that happened twelve years ago. Luckily her good friend Trevor, the kid next door, is willing to join her in the hunt once they have re-established their friendship. The pair of friends do indeed travel slightly faraway catching trains to distant parts of their city rushing so their parents don't find out what they have been up to.
What else is happening in Zoe's life? Zoe wants to be a baker. She loves to make cakes. Her parents suggest she should spend time over the summer working in a local baker. Zoe assumes this means she will mix, bake and decorate cakes to her heart's content but in fact it mainly involves routine tasks such as folding cake boxes. Zoe does, however, learn how new cupcake flavours and recipes are developed and she uses this information to experiment at home with her own cupcake creation - a fruit loops cereal flavoured cup cake! I am personally crazy about cake but this sounds little too sickly sweet for my taste.
Another thread in this story is music. I loved the way Marcus shares all his favourite tunes with Zoe. Marcus calls Zoe, Little Tomato, from this song by Pink Martini.
"It wasn't until the song repeated for the third time that I realised the words 'little tomato' weren't even in the lyrics. Why name the song that then? I thought about it and figured that Little Tomato must be who the song was for - the person the singer is singing the to." In my own research I discovered the title is actually connected with an advertisement for tomato catsup.
Image Source: WorthPoint
You can read pages 1-5 on the Chicken House web site. Here is a brief set of teaching notes.
BONUS - I am so excited to see Janae Marks has included samples of the music Zoe and Marcus enjoy; a recipe for fruit loop cupcakes; and three teaching guides.
These are the things that inspired Janae to write this book. These web sites are for adults reading this book:
- The Innocence Project
- Podcast Serial Season One, 2014
- Netflix Television series "Making a murderer"
- Food Network: Kids Baking Championship
- Netflix Film: Ava DuVernay 13th
I read The Faraway Truth (From the desk of Zoe Washington) in one sitting. YES it is that good. Zoe is a determined young girl, she is observant of her community, and I really appreciated meeting her patient and wise father Marcus.
Click these review quotes for more plot details including issues of social justice which are handled beautifully in this story.
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