  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 05/15/2017 Sam Lyttle has a tiny problem with the truth; mainly, he’s not good at telling it. He’s garnered a reputation for being . . . creative . . . in regards to honesty, but he’s certain that the last few fibs he’s told have been justified. After accidentally stirring the ire of the school bully, Feeny, Sam has been lying in order to save his backside, protect others, and, truth be told, make himself sound like the tough guy he wants to be. Things get sticky, however, when Sam rescues an adorable, big-eyed kitten—the titular Pudding—from Feeny one afternoon. His parents agree to let him keep Pudding, who has some unfortunate behavioral tics, on one condition: no more lies. Berger’s angular, caricaturelike cartoons enliven the already comical tale and play up Sam’s exaggerated perspective nicely. Despite his tendency to stretch the truth, amiable, secretly sweet-natured Sam is easy to root for. Straddling the line between illustrated novel and graphic novel, this series starter will easily appeal to fans of Wimpy Kid or Star Wars: Jedi Academy. - Copyright 2017 Booklist. School Library Journal - 06/01/2017 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 - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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