Book Review of The Lie Berry
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The Children’s Book Review
What to Expect: Tall tales, mystery, imagination, humor, life lessons.
Dean Bonner’s The Lie Berry is a charming, mysterious romp through the consequences—and creativity—of storytelling gone wild.
An illustrated cautionary tale laced with humor and whimsy, The Lie Berry explores the curious case of Morrigan, a young girl who finds herself compulsively spinning wild stories after encountering a strange, beautiful berry on a bush that may be more magical than it seems. After tasting the enticing “Lie Berry,” she finds herself unable to stop telling tall tales, which begin to spiral out of control.
Morrigan is imaginative and impulsive, traits that make her a likable, if slightly mischievous, protagonist—her story offers readers a front-row seat to the ripple effects of dishonesty. Bonner cleverly avoids heavy-handed moralizing, instead crafting a tale that is equal parts silly and sincere, encouraging readers to think critically about truth, storytelling, and consequences. The playful and fast-paced language makes it ideal for read-aloud and classroom discussions—younger readers will giggle at Morrigan’s increasingly absurd lies, while older readers will appreciate the layered message about creativity, self-awareness, and redemption. Morrigan’s eventual growth offers a resolution that champions accountability and imagination—turning her fibs into fictional stories. The artwork by illustrator Cheyenne Bigham is vibrant and slightly surreal. The vintage-tinged tones and visual energy match the story’s zany twists and add richness to an already engaging narrative.
Both entertaining and thought-provoking, The Lie Berry encourages creativity while nudging kids to think before they speak—or snack on unknown berries! Funny, quirky, and sneakily wise, it feels like a secret gem of a picture book that will resonate with imaginative kids and their storytelling grown-ups alike (overarching library pun included).
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About the Author
Dean Bonner’s first nonfiction humor collection, I Talk Slower Than I Think, opened the door to writing newspaper columns and magazine feature articles for numerous publications. He was a nonfiction winner in the 2013 Alabama Literary Competition with a memoir, Seeking Asylum. The Tar Nation TV pilot screenplay he co-wrote with Heidi Carroll was a quarterfinalist in the 2019 Austin Film Festival. His poetry is published in two collections called The Breaking and A Stormy Beginning, by Scars Publications. His work was featured in Down in the Dirt literary magazine. His Southern Gothic humor story Widows and Orphans was published in Neil Yuzuk’s anthology Children of the Night: A Collection of the Macabre. Dean is a retired Coast Guard intelligence officer and Morse telegrapher. He lives in a quaint Alabama town with his artist partner PJ and eight cats.
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