This powerful and unflinching examination of racism in America by award-winning historian Ann Bausum deconstructs the warped history of the Civil War for teen readers, perfect for fans of STAMPED, JUST MERCY, and ACCOUNTABLE.

Warning: This is not your average U.S. history book.

After the Civil War, the Confederates may have laid down their arms, but they were far from accepting defeat. By warping the narrative around what really happened during and after the Civil War, they created an alternate history now known as the Lost Cause. These lies still manifest today through criticism of Critical Race Theory, book banning, unequal funding for education, and more.

This book sets the record straight and explains the true history of the Civil War, and its complex and far-reaching aftermath. Written by historian and award-winning author Ann Bausum, WHITE LIES is an impeccably researched chronicle filled with photos, robust back matter, additional resources, and more that fans of Howard Zinn's A Young People's History of the United States will enjoy.

Author: Ann Bausum
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Published: 08/12/2025
Pages: 368
Weight: 1.18lbs
Size: 9.09h x 6.42w x 1.28d
ISBN: 9781250816573


Review Citation(s):
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 06/01/2025
Kirkus Reviews 06/15/2025
School Library Journal 07/01/2025 pg. 84
Publishers Weekly 07/14/2025
Booklist 08/01/2025
Horn Book Magazine 09/01/2025 pg. 81
Shelf Awareness 08/16/2025

About the Author

Ann Bausum was raised in Virginia, surrounded by the symbols and teachings of the Lost Cause. For the past
quarter century, she has enriched the understanding of young people and teens by introducing them to consequential and dramatic historical events that may be misrepresented or underrepresented in their textbooks. Named a Notable Children's Author by her adopted home state of Wisconsin, she and the body of her work have been recognized nationally with the Nonfiction Award of the Children's Book Guild of Washington, D.C.