Is this book 'anti-American'?

Not at all. It argues that the most patriotic thing you can do is look at your country's history honestly so you can learn from it. It’s pro-truth, not anti-country.

Should I get the original book or the graphic novel?

For anyone under 16, the graphic novel is the move. It covers the same core arguments but is much more engaging and easier to digest.

Will this make my kid disrespect their teacher?

It might make them ask tougher questions, which some teachers might find challenging. It’s a good opportunity to talk about how to disagree respectfully while still seeking the truth.

Is the content too violent?

It describes historical violence (war, lynching, etc.) because those things happened. It isn't gratuitous, but it doesn't look away either. It's handled with gravity, not for shock value.

Lies My Teacher Told Me – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Lies My Teacher Told Me

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

book2008

92%

WISE Score

A reality check for your kid's history textbook that turns boring social studies into a detective hunt for the truth.

Lies My Teacher Told Me

book

2008

92%

WISE Score

A reality check for your kid's history textbook that turns boring social studies into a detective hunt for the truth.

Jump to

Where to Read

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Libby

Our reviews and ratings are 100% unbiased, but as an Amazon Associate, Screenwise earns an affiliate fee if you buy a book or game by clicking one of our links. We don't get any credit if you just Google it instead :)

Screenwise Verdict

If you want a kid who can spot a fake news headline or a manipulative algorithm from a mile away, start here. Lies My Teacher Told Me isn't just a history book; it's a manual for critical thinking. The original 1995 text was a bit of a slog for anyone under 17, but the graphic novel adaptation is a total game-changer. It takes the academic punch of James Loewen and gives it the visual energy of a modern narrative.

It’s rare to find media that is this high-effort and high-reward. It doesn't pander to kids, and it doesn't try to 'protect' them from the truth. In an era where history is often treated like a political football, this book gives your kid the tools to sit on the sidelines and analyze the game for themselves.

Age Fit

Perfect for 12 and up. While the graphic novel makes it look like a 'comic,' the concepts require a middle-school level of maturity to process the nuance of historical bias.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

It centers on the value of truth and intellectual honesty. While it deals with the 'un-wholesome' parts of history—genocide, slavery, and systemic failure—it does so to model a healthier, more honest relationship with the past.

Imaginative

The graphic novel adaptation by Nate Powell breathes visual life into abstract historical concepts, using the medium to spark curiosity and help kids visualize the 'hidden' stories of history.

Safe

It is a book with no interactive risks or surprise content. The 'danger' is purely intellectual, challenging established narratives. Content is heavy but appropriate for middle-schoolers and up.

Enriching

This is essentially the gold standard for historical literacy. It doesn't just teach facts; it teaches how to interrogate sources and recognize bias—skills that are mandatory in 2026.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Demolishes the 'Great Man' myth by showing history as a complex web of people and movements rather than just a list of presidents.
Builds media literacy by teaching kids to ask 'who wrote this and why?'—a skill that applies to every TikTok and news feed they see.
The graphic novel format by Nate Powell makes the dense original text accessible and visually engaging for kids who might otherwise find history 'boring.'
Corrects major omissions regarding the treatment of Native Americans, the reality of the Civil Rights movement, and the true motivations behind wars.

⚠

What to Watch For

It deals with heavy historical trauma, including detailed accounts of slavery and the displacement of indigenous peoples.
Your kid might start questioning their school curriculum or their teacher's lessons; be ready to support that critical thinking rather than shutting it down.

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think the people who write textbooks might leave out the 'bad' parts of a famous person's life?"
"If you were writing a history of our family, would you include the mistakes we've made or only the highlights?"
"Does knowing the darker parts of American history make you feel differently about the country, or does it make the progress we've made seem more impressive?"
"Which historical figure in this book surprised you the most, and why haven't we heard about them before?"

Deep Dive

The Corrective We Still Need

When James Loewen first dropped this book in the mid-90s, it was a hand grenade in the world of social studies. He took the twelve most popular American history textbooks and systematically ripped them apart, showing how they sanitized the past to create a 'hero-fied' version of the U.S. that was as boring as it was inaccurate. Fast forward to 2026, and the problem hasn't gone away—it's just moved into digital spaces.

Why the Graphic Novel Matters

Let’s be real: the original 400-page academic text is a tough sell for a kid who just finished a six-hour school day. But the graphic edition, adapted by Nate Powell (who did the incredible March trilogy with John Lewis), is genuinely brilliant. Powell uses shadows, pacing, and expressive character work to make the historiography feel like a mystery novel. It turns the act of reading history into an act of investigating history.

Using it Well

This isn't a book you just hand over and walk away from. The best way to use this is as a 'textbook companion.' When your kid comes home with a worksheet about Christopher Columbus or the First Thanksgiving, pull this off the shelf. Compare what the school says with what Loewen says. You aren't teaching your kid to be a cynic; you're teaching them to be a historian.

It’s also a great bridge for kids who love the Who Was? series but are starting to realize those books leave a lot of the 'messy stuff' out. This is the 'grown-up' version of that curiosity. It respects the kid's intelligence enough to tell them the truth, and in 2026, that’s the most enriching thing you can give them.

The teen-sized edition: Lies My Teacher Told Me (Young Readers' Edition) is the official young readers adaptation of this book (ages 12–99) — same core ideas, shorter and gentler in the telling. The right handoff for a curious kid who isn't ready for the original.

What Parents Ask

Ask Anything

Get a personalized guide on any topic

Writing about Lies My Teacher Told Me? Put this WISE score on your site