A Collection of Stories About Honesty and Truth

Honesty and integrity are important values to teach kids. To help illustrate these virtues, we've curated five stories of real people who have grappled with the tricky concepts of truth and consequences. From inspiring success, to moral struggles, each story offers a lesson on the power of telling the truth.

The Honest Woodcutter - A classic folktale about the power of truth.

This classic folktale, also known as The Fox and the Cat, recounts the story of a woodcutter who encounters a vengeful fox. In this story, integrity pays off — when the woodcutter remains honest despite temptation, he's able to benefit in ways he never would have dreamed.

Ronan Smith and the Library Mystery - A story about a boy who stays honest despite intense peer pressure.

Ronan Smith never wanted to be the center of attention — in fact, all he wanted to do was play basketball with his buddies. But when a classmate loses her library book and blames him for it, Ronan has no choice but to stand up for himself and tell the truth. With his integrity on the line, Ronan finds himself in a precarious situation — can he stand firm and prove his innocence in the face of peer pressure?

The Truth About James Carter - An inspiring tale of confessing even when no one is watching.

When James Carter's basketball team wins their championship game, he feels a surge of pride. But as soon as he sits down and looks around, his conscience begins to nag at him and he remembers that they had actually won the match due to an illegal move that none of the other players had seen —a move James had done deliberately. Rather than keep quiet and let his team celebrate, James stands up and confesses to his teammates about what he had done, proving himself a true champion of honesty.

Anastasia Antoine and The Missing Notebook - A engaging drama featuring a students courageous stand against dishonesty.

Anastasia Antoine, an elementary school student, is faced with a dilemma. Despite being well-liked by her teacher and her classmates, she still finds herself struggling to fit in —especially when a group of students begin calling her "Liar Annie" for an accidental fib that occurred a few weeks prior. When Anastasia's best friend accidentally takes home the wrong notebook from class, Anastasia has the courage to tell the truth and accept the consequences of her honesty —even when faced with peer pressure not to. In doing so, she demonstrates to her peers that truth will always prevail.

Stella and Harris's Secret - A heart-warming story about trusting the truth over convenient lies.

Stella and Harris are siblings who have always been very close. When their parents go away on business, they decide to keep a big secret—they're going to order pizza without asking for permission! Although they know it will be difficult to keep the truth from their parents, they eventually realize that if they tell the truth and come clean about their decision, things will turn out better. In the end, Stella and Harris learn that even in difficult times when it feels easier to lie, it's always best to trust in the power of honesty.