The Pudding Problem

May 15, 2017
This madcap first book in the Lyttle Lies series opens with nine-year-old Sam Lyttle facing a big problem: legendary school bully Feeny. Sam has accidently crossed Feeny three times, and the narrative backtracks to tell the story of each run-in. In the first episode, Sam’s surprisingly effective hypnosis skills make his classmates believe that everything they eat tastes like a cheeseburger, eventually leading Feeny to throw up—that’s strike one. In subsequent episodes, Sam steals Feeny’s “foot-long super-salami meat feast” snack at school and rescues a cat being terrorized by Feeny and his dog. More havoc ensues after Sam persuades his family to take in the out-of-control cat, named Pudding, and Sam’s reputation for being less than truthful (“I pick up my trusty Shovel of Lying and get digging”) only compounds the chaos. In the vein of other heavily illustrated middle grade offerings, Berger (the Hubble Bubble series) devotes much space to comics-style sequences that amplify the story’s many detours into gross-out gags and physical comedy. Ages 8–12.

April 1, 2017
Sam Lyttle has a little problem with the truth: even when he's telling it, it isn't totally true.Nine-year-old Sam has a reputation for being a bit of a stranger to the truth. When things go wrong around the Lyttle house, the family knows whom to ask...and they also know they won't get a straight answer. When Sam rescues a frightened pussycat from the school bully, Sam gets his mother to allow it to stay by saying the cat (eventually named Pudding) will keep him honest (as if). Strange things do transpire: a treasured dog figurine breaks; a dirty ping pong ball finds its way into the peanut butter; a sack of potatoes from Grandpa's garden goes missing. Grandpa helps Sam deal with the school bully in exchange for a promise from Sam that he tell the truth about the occurrences around the Lyttle house. While the story Sam tells is plausible...it's not the actual truth. This British import launches a new series focusing on young prevaricator Sam, heavily illustrated in the now-familiar graphic/prose style. The truth behind Sam's complex lies is as much fun as the philosophical calisthenics he does to justify his falsehoods. Berger's black-and-white comics and illustrations advance the silly plot nicely; they depict Sam, his family, and his best friend as white, though some of his classmates seem to be children of color. Further reading for fans of Timmy Failure and Big Nate. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 7-11)

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June 1, 2017

Gr 3-6-Sam Lyttle has a big issue with telling the truth. He'd much rather skirt the facts in a misguided attempt to please those around him than deal with the complications of reality. Telling one lie leads to more and more until a landslide of falsehoods eventually push Sam into a confrontation with both his family and the school bully. Confounding matters is the arrival of Pudding the cat; staring into the feline's soulful eyes makes Sam feel incredibly guilty when he attempts to lie. This is a silly, slice-of-life tale with plenty of action and lots of (mildly gross) humor. The characters are quirky, amusing, and relatable, and Berger imparts a positive, nonpreachy message about the importance of honesty. Black-and-white comics flow smoothly from panel to panel; the characters are easy to distinguish from one another, and the story line is clear. At first glance, this narrative, which combines prose and comic book panels, may seem like just another "Wimpy Kid" look-alike, but the charming protagonist, who often falls flat on his face despite good intentions, makes this series entry stand out. VERDICT Fans of Lincoln Peirce's "Big Nate" and Stephan Pastis's "Timmy Failure" will adore this title; a fun addition to any juvenile graphic novel collection.-Kelley Gile, Cheshire Public Library, CT

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