A while back I was perusing the children’s new shelf at my
library and looking for slim books that might catch my eye. With its catchy
title and fun cover, Liar, Liar looked promising. I read the blurb and it
sounded amusing. So, I was shocked, just shocked, when I saw who the author was
– Gary Paulsen. Gary Paulsen? He does humor? Ok, so, my only other experience
with Gary Paulsen was the Newbery Honor book Hatchet which I found a tad dull and
boring (how a survival tale can be dull and boring is beyond me). And while
some say that Hatchet was a favorite when they were young I simply don’t see it…
Anyways, so I was amazed by how much I liked Liar, Liar. I
mean, I read it straight through (which, despite its being a short book is
still a big deal for me). And I laughed frequently and uproariously.
It’s about this eighth grader, Kevin, who attempts to get in
good with a crush by telling a massive amount of lies. Of course, the lies come
back to bite him in the butt. Kevin’s first person point of view, with his rationales
for lying, are hilarious, and while obviously these rationales are flawed on
many levels they are oddly a little truth revealing, too. I enjoyed the sibling
rivalry between Kevin and his older brother and sister and Kevin’s devious ways
of getting back at them. It sounded real to me. Really scary and really funny and true.
For fans of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books who have grown a
bit and are ready for something new (without pictures and daily entries) Liar, Liar is a good
choice. There’s a sequel, Flat Broke, and I’m definitely going to
read it! Gary Paulsen – who knew? I'm still stunned.
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books (Random House), 2011 Pages: 120
Full Title: Liar, liar : the theory, practice, and destructive properties of deception
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Source: Public Library
