Finn's little fibs by Tom Percival

Another in the series, Big Bright Feelings by Tom Percival, teaching acceptable behaviours in a very direct way, Finn's little fibs uses humour as a means to this end. In this book we see a young boy telling a little lie, but as he is asked about it, the lie compounds and he becomes overwhelmed with the extra lies he must tell to hide the truth.

Finn loves visiting his grandma, but one day he breaks his grandma’s clock, something she held dear. Instead of owning up to the accident Finn blames his younger sister, Simone. Grandma asks how Simone could have reached the clock and he tells another lie to cover the first. A blob appears whenever he tells a lie, and he continue the lie when his parents return and ask about the clock. He becomes burdened with the blobs because he has had to tell so many lies.

This little fib leads to some awkward situations where Finn is forced to tell another lie.

Over the weekend the blobs get in the way of him doing anything, they are all he can think about.

He thinks and thinks and decides that the only way to rid himself of this burden is to tell the truth. And he does, to the relief of everyone else who saw through his lies.

A neat resolution sees Finn promise ever to lie again, or if a lie did slip out now and again, he would own up straight away.

This is a wonderful vehicle for discussions about the difference between lying and telling the truth, a book for use at home or in the classroom.

Themes: Truth, Lying, Humour.

Fran Knight