Coco Twain Tells the Truth    by Judith Porter Order:  USA  Can PublishAmerica, 2005 (2005) Paperback Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto In this light-hearted coming-of-age novel, Judith Porter tells the story of Coco Twain, a small-town Oklahoma girl whose life is forever changed when two escaped convicts hole up in her best friend's house. Coco is staying with Sonya for a weekend while her parents are visiting the city. Upon arriving home, Coco, Sonya, and Sonya's mother Daisy, discover two men hiding in the living room. Undaunted, Daisy prepares the men a meal as the girls listen to the radio and learn that Buford and Al are two of seven criminals who broke out of a Tulsa jail that day. The women, against Coco's better judgment, decide to hide the men. Soon, Daisy begins to fall in love with Buford while Coco learns of the gruff Al's softer side, forming a friend for life. Throughout Coco Twain Tells the Truth, Coco is faced with many difficult moral decisions. Although she stumbles some along the way, Coco develops into a fine young woman, by listening to her heart and listening to her elders. And Porter gets across many positive lessons without ever becoming didactic. Though many coming-of-age novels are more in depth than this one, what sets it apart is that it is aimed at younger readers than usual. I recommend it to younger teens, who are about to facing many turning points in their lives which will eventually lead to defining who they are, just as Coco's summer with Al did for her. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews