Facttracker Book

If you are reading this, you're a genius.

Is that true? Who knows! But it sounds good. So does:

This book is better than ice cream, television, and your birthday combined!

The Facttracker is full of such statements. Unfortunately, most of them are lies, which is odd, since Traäkerfaxx is the town that produces all of the world's facts.

So how can a story about a bizarre town with a weird name become

The greatest novel ever written?

Dinosaurs would help. Or maybe aliens. Alien dinosaurs would be dynamite! Alas, we have none of those. Here's what we do have: the Facttracker, who tracks all the facts in Traäkerfaxx. The just small enough boy, who lost all his facts. And Ersatz, but the less said about him the better. And, of course, there are lots and lots of facts and lies, such as:

This book will make you good-looking and popular!

Was that a fact or a lie? For the answer, read on and encounter adventure, peril, and even more

Large, oversized words!

Children's Literature

The citizens of Traakerfax have always made their living by selling facts—facts that are tracked by the resident Facttracker and shipped by the townspeople to whoever wants to buy them, but all of that is about to change. An accidental explosion, triggered by the "just small enough" boy, destroys the Factory, and the seed of truth, the thing at the heart of all facts and the foundation of the Factory, is lost. The economy of Traakerfax is in disarray, but disarray can be a golden opportunity for some. Enter Ersatz, the oily twin brother of the Facttracker, who assures the Traakerfaxians that he can save their town with a brand new industry—lies! "But aren't lies bad? Aren't they hideous and socially unacceptable things to be avoided at all costs?" Not at all. Everyone knows that "lies are just facts with more personality, and they're far less work too." All too soon, Ersatz has seized the seed of truth, which is also at the heart of all lies. He imprisons the Facttracker and replaces the Factory with the Liebrary, a magnificent edifice where lies are spewed out, sold, and delivered by the Phony Express. It seems that only the "just small enough" boy can set things right. It is up to him to find a way to rescue the Facttracker, recover the seed of truth, and defeat Ersatz before the billionth lie irrevocably changes the world forever. This is an extraordinarily imaginative tale, clever, playful, and witty, with an excellent message about the nature of lies and truth. There is enough silliness and action to keep younger readers turning the pages, and it is sophisticated enough to be thoroughly enjoyed by teens and adults. The book would make an unusual but appropriate additionto reading lists for any curriculum that touches upon propaganda and advertising. Reading this book is pure fun. It is highly recommended for everyone and is illustrated with black and white drawings. Reviewer: Anita Barnes Lowen