Doug-Dennis and the Flyaway Fib

Darren Farrell (author/illustrator)

Scholastic Australia: February 2011

ISBN: 9781741697568

Genre: picture book

Issues: friendship, truth, values

Doug-Dennis and Ben-Bobby are bored, so they visit the circus, where Doug-Dennis tells a lie. He gets so carried away with his lie that it takes him completely off the planet. How will he get back?

Adults and children alike will enjoy this clever picture book. The cartoon-style illustrations are brightly coloured and cheerful but the real attraction is in literal interpretation of getting 'carried away' with a falsehood: 'When he was frightfully high in the dark night sky and terribly far from home... and the truth had stretched as far as truth will stretch and the fib was now a BIG FAT LIE...,' Doug-Dennis finds himself surrounded by many others still telling their lies, none of them listening to each other, none of them aware of the consequences of what they're doing. So Doug-Dennis does the only thing he can think of – he tells the truth.

A moralist's tale warmly embedded in humour, Doug-Dennis and the Flyaway Fib is not particularly judgemental or preachy. It simply shows the isolation and complications that can be caused by lying. Very useful in the classroom but an enjoyable read for any reason.