Rebecca Ashdown’s picture book, The Whopper, is a quirky and amusing tale with a humorous lesson to impart.
Percy’s Grandma loves to knit. The problem is that Grandma’s knitting isn’t to everyone’s taste. So when Percy’s new psychedelic jumper gets mislaid thanks to a dog and some muddy puddles Percy tells a little lie to hide the truth. Percy is a good kid, and knows that really he should own up … but … that is so easier said than done. Enter the whopper…
‘ “You told a big, hairy, monstrous lie,” said the creature.
“It was a whopper. I am your Whopper!” ‘
Oops! As time goes on the whopper gets bigger and bigger, reflecting the guilt that Percy is feeling. In true monster style, that whopper does get a little bit out of control … well, he is feeling hungry! The result is that Ashdown creates plenty of giggles over Percy’s out of control lie, giving a light quirky edge to the point of the narrative.
Ashdown’s illustrations imbue a fresh, lively tone making The Whopper an enjoyable picture book to read out loud.
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