True North is a great girl with a lot of heavy worries. As her world seems to fall apart as her family continues to servive the shut down from Covid 19, True tries her hardest to take care of the family. If only she could realize that as a fifth grader, she doesn't have to carry the weight of the world.

A young adult viewpoint of COVID and its effects on her small world, along with how she sits and grows in a very short time frame. It was a good read, but I feel like it could have had a little more detail and personal growth.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain Books and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This story takes place during the COVID-19 lockdown although never mentioned by name – just called “the virus.” Fifth grader True North Vincent spends her days doing e-learning, taking care of the chickens, and spending time with her younger brother, Georgie. Her cartographer mother got stuck on a job in Canada and can’t come home just yet and her father is a nurse at the local hospital working very long hours so Grandma Jo tending to the kids. True draws maps to help relieve her anxiety and keep Georgie occupied with treasure hunts. One day one of the treasure hunts leads True and Georgie to an old barn where they find newborn kittens. Kyler, another fifth-grader from her school, has been taking care of the kittens but doesn’t really have someone taking care of him during this stressful time.
This is a poignant middle grade story about the pandemic as seen through the eyes of a child. True’s choices aren’t always thought through with everyone’s safety in mind but her heart is in the right place. It is a relatively short book for middle grade but it didn’t need anything else. I would definitely recommend for grades 3 and up.
#TrustingTrueNorth #NetGalley

My students said we need books about the pandemic, so this is one I’ll definitely buy for my classroom. True North Vincent is struggling with many emotions during the pandemic. Due to the travel ban, she is separated from her mother. Her father works endless hours as a nurse, so she and her siblings are home doing their best at elearning and entertaining themselves. Their grandmother, with whom they live, is a cancer survivor, and her little brother has asthma, which makes them extra cautious.
True’s talent for drawing elaborate maps helps keep her and her younger brother occupied. She also befriends some barn cats and a boy from school named Kyler. She takes risks to help him. I liked how the characters become closer with each other.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. I absolutely adored this middle grade book. This book is set during covid-19 in Minnesota mentioning Canada. The writing style sucks you into the world from the first page. I absolutely adored Georgie and True’s characters in this book. I absolutely can't wait to read more books by this author in the near future. I absolutely highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. This book will be in stores on April 5, for $16.99 (USD).

This is a great Middle Grade reader that touches on coping with Covid-19 and that stress as well as navigating friendships and emotions surrounding this tough time. I think older elementary/younger middle school is the right audience for this one. It might still be too hard for my 9-year old to read and emotionally understand. True has been raised to love maps. She loves to study, create, and use all kinds of maps. She uses a lot of her time to make scavenger hunts for her little brother when not doing online school. It's a great release of pressure for her- especially as her mom has been stranded outside the country. There are some heavier themes for little ones like animal death, health scares with Covid, and parents missing. Certainly keep these in mind when recommending, but I thought it was well done.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I adore unique fiction, and this is such an interesting premise. I recommend because of the story itself, writing style, and its ability to transport you into a different world.

This was a lovely middle-grade novel about what the pandemic has been like for children in this age group. Although our main character is eleven, I think this book would also be appropriate for children that are a bit younger than her.

What I liked:
- The book is only as long as it needs to be. No fluff, and every scene brought the plot forward.
- Our MC liked to draw maps. What a cool and original hobby to make her really stand out. I loved her musings about how anything can measure anything too!
- I loved True's relationship with Kyler. He was such an interesting character and I really have a soft spot for him.

Things that could have been improved upon:
- The side characters. I felt like almost all the side characters lacked depth and weren't really explored. I know I just said the book is short and I do like that, but I wish we got to spend a little more time with dad and grandma.
- the pandemic is never mentioned by name. We have masks, standing six feet apart, people having trouble breathing, characters losing their sense of smell.. but they just call it 'the virus'. In my first language we have a saying: call the beast by its name. I wish the author chose to do that here.

This one was an instant buy for my library. I devoured to galley and knew we needed it. This story is so important for the times we are in. Having books kids can relate to is so important, and I hope kids find some sort of relatable feeling with these characters.

This was a sweet and important children's book. I loved the emphasis on cartography - I've never seen a middle-grade book with the MC interested in it before! Overall a good read.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

When True's mom gets trapped in Manitoba due to lockdown True becomes furious and refuses under any circumstances to speak to her but that is the least of her troubles, in order to avoid bringing the virus into her household True and her little brother Georgie are banned from exploring the barn close to their home. One day whilst returning the metal detector True used to create a treasure map for Georgie the duo discover a litter of kittens. When leaving, True notices a shadow and starts to get nervous, as she recognizes the boy as Kyler Grier, ever since he knocked out Dakota Sullivan's tooth in school she hasn't been willing to talk to him, but when True's fears grow for one of the kittens, Kyler tries to help and soon the two become good friends.

Even though there were a few errors here and there like the gender of one of the kittens being specified as female but then labeled as 'him' in the dialogue. Later Miss Delrose is spelt incorrectly and there are some mistakes in chapter twelve which felt disjointed. I hope these edits get changed ahead of publication but overall Trusting True North is a quick, fast and moving read, perfect for middle grade readers. 100% recommend.

#NetGalley #TrustingTrueNorth

This was a really sweet middle grade book that I felt did an excellent job portraying a plucky 5th grade girl's experience of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a fun read - there were adventures, mapmaking, and treasure hunts. There were also some big emotion topics, like illness, bullying, death, sibling relationships, and loneliness. Lots of good life lessons wrapped up in a very readable story, I think my 3rd grader will love it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC, in exchange for my honest review.

#TrustingTrueNorth #NetGalley

A children's story, set in 2020 during the pandemic. True North, is a fifth grader and misses seeing her friends. She also misses her mom, who hasn't been able to come home, because of the pandemic. True likes to draw maps and send her brother George out looking for treasures. True, also finds an unexpected friend, in someone she originally thought was unkind. I loved how close knit the North. Children were in the story. The pandemic is a tough subject matter for middle readers, but each one has felt the effects of not being able to live life the way it was before. I love the gorgeous cover.

Keeping family, friendship and hope high, this is actually a quicker read, which packs emotion but doesn't bog down.

True's world has turned upside down. The pandemic has set in right when her mother has traveled to Canada, and now, thanks to the closed borders, can't get home. Her father is working overtime, caring for those as he can, which leaves True under the care of her grandmother with her siblings. While trying to find her place in all of this, she discovers a kitten who needs care. But despite all of her efforts, things seem to get rougher, and soon, she's not sure how to handle everything.

This is a read, which looks at difficulties caused by the pandemic, building in family situations, emotions, and heart. True is an intelligent and caring girl, who does her best to 'fix' things as her family is thrown into uncertainty. Especially those who lived under similar circumstances will find familiarity in the situation. But even those who weren't facing quite as much insecurity will connect with her, since this is as much a tale about family and relationships. Her care for those around her and the kitten make her easy to root for.

At around 175 pages, it's kept fairly short, and that's great. This is a serious read, which hits the heart and revolves around relationships within the family, neighbors and friends. Keeping it from growing too long allows more hesitant readers a bit more breathing space, especially since it's a fairly simple plot and an easy read. So, kudos on that end.

I believe that this one will have more impact in a few more years as some families still aren't out and about in normality, yet. But it's well written, has characters who are easy to sympathize with, and flows along nicely. So, I can recommend this one to those interested in the theme. I received an ARC through Netgalley.

True’s mom is a cartographer who gets stuck in Canada when the pandemic strikes. She is unable to cross the border to return home to her family. True is the middle child who needs her mom and resents her absence. Her dad is a nurse and isolates himself in the basement whenever he can come home. Her grandma is mostly in charge and has a hard time understanding True. Compass is her older sister who has drifted away from their formerly close relationship. True takes responsibility for her younger brother Georgie who has asthma and at most risk should he get the virus. True entertains herself and Georgie with map making and treasure hunts, while trying to deal with her anger and resentment. When they find kittens in an old barn on one of their treasure hunts, True also finds Kyler, a new boy from her school who already has been painted as a bully.

This is a wonderful story of a girl who is doing her best and struggling to deal with her emotions. So much in her life is outside her control. As True makes her way through her life as it has become, there is so much that middle grade readers will relate to. This is a must have for my middle school library.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this middle grade novel.

This book was a good story about inner strength and friendship. Set at the beginning of the pandemic, it may still be a little too soon for some readers, but overall, I think many kids can relate to True. She's a strong and sympathetic protagonist.

First off this book is set in 2020 the uncertain beginning of the pandemic. I'd say it's pretty important to mention it as it may trigger some and I personally wasn't that aware of it. The virus is pretty much a main part of the book so if you're too anxious and sensitive to that, don't read it. This is the first 2020 pandemic book I read.
The cover is very GORGEOUS though... You may be aware of my thing for book covers, especially MG ones... Lol
True North is a fifth Grader that is struggling with anxiety in the pandemic. Her mom can't come home as the country borders got closed as she was for work travel as a cartographist. Her dad works as a nurse and sees the pandemic first hand. let me just express my gratitude to the doctors at the pa remix, they were heroes!
True and her little brother George like to go out and play, but they're not allowed to meet their friends as of course... The pandemic.
They have an online school that they don't enjoy, duh.
True likes to make maps like her mom and they want to go exploring this barn. They meet this big kid Kyle and they become friends. There are some cats too, but one sadly dies.
Worrying and talking to adults, respecting the social distancing rules is a pretty major part of the story. True as well as her old sister Compass Rose kind of close to themselves and when it became too much it just exploded. I think this book has very important lessons, especially for us covid people. I believe this book can become pretty important to younger generations to learn the situation of our pandemic, our dears, and uncertainties, missing family members as we were quarantined. I am so glad the situation is much under control now, we go to physical school and we can see our loved ones!!!
Also, let me just say that I cried at some parts especially True's uneasy feelings and wanting to care for everyone!!!

This book was sweet and heartwarming and I loved the way that the plot progressed. True is a great character and so is her brother. This book is so sweet and I enjoyed it a lot!

Trusting True North is an exciting and amazing children's story, that teaches us about the effect of the pandemic on a young person dealing with loneliness and a need for her mothers company. The characters in the story are brilliant, with great personalities and quirks, making each one memorable. For a child, this book is extremely impactful and deals with a range of emotions- while also keeping every reader grasped during the adventurous stage in the story. I recommend this book for any older child who is struggling during the pandemic and anyone who feels different.

True North is tired of the lockdown and elearning. Mom has to stay in Canada because the borders are closed due to the virus. When walking, True and her brother Georgie find a barn and discover kittens and an old metal detector, and they see a boy from school. Does someone own the kittens and metal detector? True makes a map for Georgie so he can use the metal detector that she took. When they go back to the barn to see the kittens, Old Man Parker shows up. Now what?