From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 1—Doug-Dennis, a sneaker and cap-wearing sheep, goes to the circus with Ben-Bobby, an elephant with jet-black hair. In the midst of the action, Dougy commits the cardinal friend-offense; he eats Ben-Bobby's popcorn and then lies about it. After telling his fib, he is immediately launched into space where he is surrounded by all sorts of other liars (everyone from kids with imaginary friends to used-car salesmen) and eventually figures out that the only way to escape is to tell the truth. Farrell's offhanded humor and the absolute absurdity of the situation and characters make this a fun lesson in truth-telling. The pen and ink and digitally created cartoon illustrations feel almost childlike in their imagination (the animals inexplicably have pink eye patches over one eye) and contain hidden gems of humor, much like the text. Each page contains dialogue and characters that offer funny asides and quips beyond the main story. Much like the work of funnymen Jon Scieszka, Lane Smith, and Mo Willems, some of the humor is intended for adults, but the absolute silliness of the story will have young readers giggling as well. Farrell takes the typically dull subject of lying and offers a wacky sheep and elephant friendship as a way of opening up family conversations about telling the truth.—Sarah Townsend, Norfolk Public Library, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Read more Review "A promising first book; here's hoping his second is just as funny." --Kirkus Read more See all Editorial Reviews
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