Would I Ever Lie to You?
Kindergarten-Grade 4–In jaunty rhyme, an unnamed narrator relates how his older cousin constantly teases him by telling him frightening lies: Please don't eat that piece of pie;/That piece of pie could make you die!/It's full of poison, through and through–/It might just be the end of you! The younger boy doesn't know when to believe him, because sometimes Ed does tell the truth. After a while, the narrator recognizes the teasing for what it is and plays an appropriate joke on his cousin. Many youngsters will identify with the problem of being taunted in this way by an older child, or even an adult. In one instance, Dad contributes to the problem by agreeing with his nephew that mothers have eyes in the back of their heads. Readers may be comforted by the protagonist's decreased gullibility at the story's end. Although his parents seem to be aware of the situation, they do not chastise Ed, making it seem all the more important for the younger boy to take his own action. The large, detailed cartoon illustrations in watercolor, acrylics, colored pencil, and ink add a great deal of interest and humor to the tale. During the poisoned pie episode, the narrator is drawn with eyes that practically pop off the page. This book can be enjoyed independently or shared with a group as a great lead-in for discussions about teasing and bullying.–Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, NJCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.