The Whopper

PreS-Gr 2—Young Percy receives a rather garish hand-knitted sweater from his grandmother, who suggests that it is "just right for walking the dog in!" He proceeds to put the dog in the sweater, which works out fine "until the pup [chases] a cat…[gets] tangled in the bushes…[splashes] in a puddle…and [rolls] in something stinky." What follows is the tale of a lie about the garment's whereabouts that becomes bigger and bigger in the form of a Whopper, Percy's guilt monster, which continues to grow and overwhelm the boy until he finally comes clean. Though the Whopper gobbles up Percy and is a bit of a pest, he is not scary, making this book perfect for introducing young listeners and readers to the idea of lies, right and wrong, and guilt. The text is straightforward and matched perfectly by the soft illustrations.