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Hannah V. Sawyerr was recognized as the Youth Poet Laureate of Baltimore in 2016. Her spoken word has been featured on the BBC’s World Have Your Say program as well as the National Education Association’s “Do You Hear Us?” campaign. More about this author >
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Seventeen-year-old Truth Bangura wants nothing more than to know a life beyond her hometown. Writing and performing is her only solace in a life overwhelmed by a drifting relationship with her best friend, an emotionally turbulent home environment, and the reality that her below average grades make her true dream—escaping her mother’s grasp after graduation—uncertain.
When Truth learns she’s pregnant by her ex-boyfriend, she makes one decision she’s finally sure about: an abortion.
Determined to move forward, Truth turns to the pages in her notebook with the support of her slam poetry team—including the poet with a voice smooth as summer jazz, who’s been catching her eye during practice.
At an open mic night, Truth finally gains the courage to perform a piece that dives into her rocky relationship with her mother—and reveals the choice she never told her. But when a video of Truth’s performance is posted online and starts going viral, her decision quickly becomes everyone’s business—including her mother’s.
Truth Is crackles with honesty, courage, and innovation. In her powerful sophomore novel, Hannah V. Sawyerr follows a young woman confronting the limits placed on her body, voice, and future—daring to define herself on her own terms, with the power of her own words. Told through an inventive, immersive form, this story captures the turmoil and tenderness of becoming with rare authenticity, with clarity and compassion both urgent and unforgettable.
Hannah V. Sawyerr at the 2025 National Book Awards Finalist Reading
