Sam’s second outing after Sam is Never Scared (2006) addresses kids’ proclivity for telling stories. Wanting to make friends at his new school, Sam tells everyone that his dad is an astronaut. And thus, Sam steps on the slippery slope of storytelling. At bedtime, he tells his little brother there was a dragon on the playground. To explain his muddy clothes, he tells his mom that the bigger kids picked a fight. And the astronaut story keeps getting more embellished. Sam reaches an epiphany one sleepless night when he realizes that all this lying will catch up with him, and then everyone will know that he didn’t tell the truth. He pledges to be himself from then on, and tells his friends the real story. Although they are angry with him, they get over it quickly. But his brother asks for more—he thinks Sam is a great storyteller. The only lie left dangling is the one to his parents. Goossens’ oils hit the mark again, keeping the focus on the characters and their feelings, while downplaying distracting details. With its pat ending and lack of consequences, this is perfect for the youngest children as a gentle introduction to storytelling and its downfalls. (Picture book. 3-5)
