Liar, Liar: The Theory, Practice and Destructive Properties of Deception

Written by Gary Paulsen

Narrated by Joshua Swanson

Kevin has a big talent. Some might call it compulsive lying. He calls it common sense.

Kev doesn’t mean to cause trouble by lying all the time; he’s just trying to make everything easier for everyone (and himself). And, of course, a few harmless, um, falsehoods are crucial to his plan to convince Tina that he’s the perfect boyfriend for her.

In Gary Paulsen’s irresistible and chaotic comedy, Kevin’s lies spiral out of control until he’s faced with the need to do the unthinkable: tell the truth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Mar 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9781455801497

Gary Paulsen

<P>GARY PAULSEN (1939 - 2021) wrote nearly two hundred books for young people, including the Newbery Honor Books<em> Hatchet, Dogsong,</em> and <em>The Winter Room. </em></P>

Reviews for Liar, Liar

[rachel.seltz · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ages 11-14.According to eighth grader Kevin Spencer, “people who believe honesty is the best policy are just terrible liars.” Kevin knows that lying makes everything easier, and everyone happier--whether it’s teachers, family, or friends. But his mission to convince Tina Zabinski that he would make a terrific boyfriend suddenly has him wound up in more complicated lies than he has ever told before. The truth starts looking like the only way out. Kevin will need all his military history knowledge to help him strategize for a way to make things right.Paulsen adroitly balances Kevin’s woes of middle school crushes, babysitting, and boring homework assignments with his heavier issues of a family that has grown apart and is struggling to reconnect. Like many tweens and teens, Kevin has quite the ego. He narrates the numerous ways that he amazes himself, even as his well laid plans are crumbling around him. Kevin’s cluelessness is comedic; the grace with which he responds to his eventual humbling is impressive. Kevin’s coming of age story is both believable and admirable. Paulsen avoids the trap of a preachy message by employing humor, irony, and introspection. Many middle school readers will recognize themselves in Kevin, and will eagerly turn the pages to find out how he will unstick himself from the zany web of lies he’s woven. Recommended.

[mbklibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I laughed my way through the entire book! Poor Kevin discovers girls while standing in his middle school hallway and life just isn't the same after that. Kevin is also an accomplished liar. But when he decides to make the girl of his dreams notice him, things go all wrong for once. You can't help but love Kevin, everything about him is so authentic, so genuinely teenage lovesick boy, you just anguish for him as his world falls apart. I also love the sibling rivalry - the arguments between he and his brother and sister brought me back to my childhood! Very cleverly written, and one I think everyone would enjoy.

[rata_4 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Took me a little while to get into this book, but by chapter 3, I had the gist of it and began to enjoy it. I really appreciated the extensive vocabulary and it was because of this that I kept persevering in the early stages of reading. A typical schoolyard, first crush story with humour thrown in and embedded in all of this is a communcative dysfuntional family. Fourteen-year-old Kevin is very good at lying and doing so makes life easier. Kevin doesn't mean to make trouble when he lies. He's just really good at it. But as his lies pile up, he finds himself in big--and funny--trouble with his friends, family, and teachers. He's got to find a way to end his lying streak--forever, so he sets about making amends only to find that being honest doesn't make his life any easier. I liked the part where he decided to help his Aunt Buzz, really funny.

[agrudzien_5 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Kevin is a great liar. So great in fact that he decides to see if he can never tell the truth again. At first it's easy...until he starts breaking his own rules about complexity and who he is lying to...then it gets complicated, and gets him into tons of trouble. The story was quite fantastical (what really works out like that?) but Kevin was a very likeable character and it was a very quick read...it also really highlights (while being funny) the importance of not lying.

[kimjd_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyable... but not quite up there with a lot of his others.

[lindap69 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

lots of lies, lots of laughter