J. A. Angelo

The kids are out of school for the summer so the Angelino family decide to go camping at the local state park. They enjoy playing games, swimming, and taking nature walks.

The story is cute and to the point. After dinner the children are sitting on the hood of the car eating apples. Later their dad asks them if they remembered to throw the apple cores away. The children lie when actually they left the cores on the hood of the car. After the children had gone to bed there is a loud commotion. A raccoon had found the apple cores and when scurrying away the raccoon leaves a dent in the hood of the car. The next morning the children are confronted with their lie and the consequences of lying.

The illustrations are colorful and effective. I think this book is best for younger children (perhaps ages 4-6) as its simplicity would probably bore older children. It effectively opens the door to having a conversation about why children should not lie to their parents.

I received a complimentary copy via GoodReads. Opinions expressed here are my own.… (más)

The excitement of a camping trip sets the scene for a look at the consequences lies can bring.

The three boys go on a camping trip with their family and have lots of fun, especially when their father teaches them things about the wildlife and nature. At the end of the day, the boys have a snack but don't completely obey the directions given to them. When asked if they had done everything correctly, they lie and don't think much about it. Unfortunately, trouble soon follows.

This is a book to read aloud to slightly older kids, ages four and up. The bright illustrations are on one side of the page, while the short text lies on the other. While the text does make the plot clear, the illustrations work with it, adding to the story and bringing along the extra details to round it off. It's a nice balance.

When picking up this book, it's important to realize that the author does intend to bring across a certain message and isn't trying to simply present a lovely story. Nor does it read as smoothly and fun as a bedtime or entertainment read, but rather comes across a bit direct, distant and told. For teaching or discussion purposes, however, it's a gentle way to open up to a conversation. The boys and their parents are presented as a wholesome family, which explores and has fun together. When the problem arises—the boys' lies—and the boys are caught, the result is predictable and the message obvious. The author then ends the book with a few thoughts and hints which help lead into a discussion concerning lies and the consequences they can bring. It's a nice book for those adults looking for a way to bring up the topic of lies and raise children's awareness surrounding the implications which can result from such situations.

I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed it enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.… (más)