SLJ Series Made Simple: Totally Not True! Review

This fact-packed, accessible series shows students scientific truth debunks false ideas and misinformation. Each volume opens with a “Welcome to TNT” message and explains the scientific method step-by-step. Pages resemble cork boards; throughout, text and captioned photo “evidence” that prove or disprove various myths appear on “tacked” or “taped” Post-its. Each volume debunks six assorted “totally not true“ ideas. It does so by first setting out two pages of “false evidence” for each myth, alongside pictures that seem to support the misleading belief. The text is pithy and to the point. Following each myth and its “supportive explanations,” two more pages with their own text and photo evidence “explode” the falsehood, presenting the truth and answering skeptics clearly and accessibly. The volume about animals is chiefly about cryptids, though other myths are included. A final section in each volume is “Truth or TNT?” or a similarly named pictorial wrap-up of alleged theme-related phenomena, which all turn out to be true. New vocabulary is defined in a glossary (no pronunciation guides). Besides glossaries, back matter includes an index; Read More (a short bibliography); Learn More Online (a link to the publisher’s website or QR code, and a direction to click each volume’s cover for a list of websites). VERDICT Demystifying, eye-opening, entertaining fun. Recommended for schools and public libraries.