Review: The old familiar `It wasn't me...!'
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 15, 2013
Author Sari Barel takes a unique stance on teaching children how to tell the truth and she involves parents in a most thoughtful and constructive way. Together with illustrator Neda Fuchedzhieva she has crated a fun book that gives parents insight on how to correct a certain behavioral problem - and have fun doing it.Ruthy fibs. Her answer to whether she has eaten more than the allowed number of sweets after meals, of picking up her toys after playing, or painting on walls, gabbing a ball form her sister, annoying the family dog, her answer is a ready `It wasn't me!" Her father has an idea: he states that starting today it is OK not to keep family rules and not to tell the truth. Ruthy thinks she has triumphed, but on a trip into town she asks for an ice cream, and chocolate and a lollipop to which her father says `no problem.' But when her father doesn't buy her anything she is upset, saying `you promised' to her smart father who replies `we agreed not to tell the truth, remember?' When Ruthy asks her father to play he promises he will, but then watches TV instead making Ruthy declare she wants her real dad back, not the one who doesn't keep promises, and voila! Ruthy gets it and her father shows her that he is very proud of the lesson she has figured out - `It was really fun to tell the truth.'Not only is this little story entertaining but it also carries a very unique way of learning how to stop not telling the truth. This book is a joint venture for children and parents, and as usual Sari Barel handles it very well indeed. Grady Harp, August 13