Review by Booklist Review
Naturally, Tim's folks are having none of his excuses that a ninja snuck in and ate the last piece of cake; that an astronaut absconded with Dad's hammer; and that a giant squid ate his book bag. So they send him out to rake the leaves and think about his lying ways. But when he decides to take the heat for the pirate who drinks all the tea, the sunburned crocodile who breaks the TV antenna, and the time-traveling monkey who throws pencils at sleeping Grampa, his parents get mad all the same, and it's back to yard work for punishment. Tim realizes he just can't win, so he invites over all the ne'er-do-wells getting him in trouble to prove his innocence, and his parents promise to buy him 100 ice-cream cones to say they're sorry. With goofy, wide-eyed, stick-legged, plump-middled figures and just the sort of lunacy that could have sprung from an impish young imagination, this picture book makes for a cheerful, lightly subversive kids' point-of-view rejoinder to the lesson of owning up for your actions.--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Latimer, a South African artist making his children's book debut, turns in an amusing twist on The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Tim isn't lying: a ninja really does sneak into his house and eat the last slice of cake-kicking it into the air first, as ninjas do. An astronaut in need of a hammer really does take one from Tim's father's workshop, and a giant squid really does eat Tim's book bag. But Tim discovers that, due to the preposterous nature of the truth, he's punished by his parents whether he tells the truth or not. At last he succeeds in luring the creatures out into the open where his family can see them, with triumphant results: "They said sorry and promised to buy him a hundred ice creams." Latimer's understated line drawings add to the fun; his creatures have pin-dot eyes and blank expressions that belie the havoc they're wreaking. The time-traveling monkey in underpants who appears on the television and starts throwing pencils at Grampa might be the best moment. Older siblings may sneak in while this one is being read aloud. Ages 4-8. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 1-When Tim tells his parents the truth-that a ninja ate the last slice of cake, that an astronaut took his dad's hammer, and that a giant squid ate his homework-they send him out to rake leaves and think about his habit of telling lies. When he tells lies instead and takes sole responsibility for the missing tea that a pirate drank, for the TV antenna that a sunburned crocodile broke, and for the cascade of pencils that a time-traveling monkey threw at Grampa while he slept, his parents send him out to water the garden and think over his bad behavior. Any reasonably imaginative child will relate to this kind of no-win situation. Maybe watering vegetables also fertilizes the brain, because Tim has a very good idea that brings about a happy resolution, including lots of ice cream, the best party ever, and a nice, clean yard. Latimer has created offbeat digitally colored drawings brimming with quirky, diverse perspectives and hilarious details.-Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Every time his parents accuse him of wrongdoing, Tim blames a ninja (or an astronaut or a giant squid)--but he's telling the truth. He tries lying--accepting the blame--but he still gets in trouble. What's a kid to do? Latimer's solution is sublime, and his clean-lined illustrations make the story's mayhem navigable. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Up and Down, 2010, etc.), as is Latimer's good use of negative space, but the silliness, sly humor and stylized bodies are evocative of Lane Smith (It's a Book, 2010, etc.). Thoughtful use of repetition and creative use of speech bubbles further enhance this good-looking tale. Hip and trendy but with a timeless theme, this is one enjoyable read. (Picture book. 4-8)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
