Who Broke the Vase?

by Jeffrey Turner, Jeffrey Turner (Illustrator)

Overview

A little dog struggles with fibbing in this pitch perfect picture book that simply, humorously, and honestly tells the truth about lying.

Have you ever told a lie? A fib? A whopper? A falsehood? A fabrication?

Well, when a little dog accidentally breaks a vase, he certainly does! He keeps shifting the blame: First he says it was an elephant, but no he meant a mouse. Wait a minute—did he say mouse? Make that a crow, a sheep, a hippo—anyone but him. Will his family discover what really happened?

Jeffrey Turner’s signature style of simple words and strong, vivid graphics resonates with everyone who has ever struggled with admitting the truth!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781481479530
Publisher:	Aladdin
Publication date:	04/04/2017
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.20(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jeff Turner is a veteran of the advertising world and has designed fabric and art-directed several magazines for the quilting industry.

Jeff Turner is a veteran of the advertising world and has designed fabric and art-directed several magazines for the quilting industry.

Editorial Reviews

2017-02-01
A broken vase, an eyewitness, and a cast of improbable suspects lead to one surprise ending in this celebration of the whopper. Cover and title-page art of a cracked vase set the scene for this airy detective tale, as the title question, "Who broke the vase?" looms large on the opening page. A dog appears on the next spread, with the narrator explaining it was an elephant. Wait—no, a mouse. Or maybe a sheep knitting mittens. With each possibility, an image of the suspect appears. But readers soon realize the small canine (yes, the one holding the ball) is telling fibs. After unapologetically admitting to it, the pup asks to play again. Without hesitation, the grown-up dog the puppy's been talking to agrees—and then breaks something too. It's déjà vu when the adult tells tall tales, showing the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Turner's characters, done in silhouette with expressive eyes on primary-color backgrounds, are appealing, and his compositions and text design are engaging. Unfortunately, his minimal graphic style does not always convey clarity, as readers must sort through what's imaginary and what isn't, misguided assumptions, and ultimately the morality of the story's humor. An interesting debut, one that may instigate discussion, emotion, and, yes, even laughs. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews