Perfect Picture Book Friday-Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big

Posted on by Penny Parker Klostermann

Susanna Leonard Hill features Perfect Picture Book Friday on her blog. This is a wonderful resource if you are wondering what books to give as gifts, needing material for a lesson, and mainly just perfect for those who love to read picture books. Here is a list of books by category. This is very handy for finding books for lessons in the classroom, or for finding books on a particular topic to discuss with your children at home. Each book listed has a link to a review and information about that book. There is also an alphabetical list.

Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big

Written and Illustrated by Berkeley Breathed

Ages 4-8

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 2000

Themes: Truthfulness, Consequences, Siblings

Synopsis: Fannie Fudwupper’s big brother, Edwurd, spends his time cooking up big fibs full of phooey and letting them rip. But one day, Edwurd tells such a whopping lie that the army, the air force, and the dogcatcher are called to reverse the damage.


Opening: From a long line of liars, there’s none higher upper…
Than my fibbing big brother, The Edward Fudwupper.
There he is now.
I know just what he’s doing:
He’s thinking of who could be next for some fooling.
Edwurd’s been cooking up fibs full of phooey;
He’ll serve them up SWEET, all gooey with hooey.
Last week he fibbed big and told Mabel Dill,
“I read you’ve been voted the queen of Brazil!
They want you to come!
Bikinis! BRING TEN!”
I think Mable went; no one’s seen her since then. 

Resources: Honesty Lesson,

Web of Lies: Wind a large ball of yarn. Have the kids sit in a circle. Hold the end of the ball of yarn and begin telling a story. Stop in the middle of a sentence and roll the ball of yarn across the circle to another child. Let them finish your sentence and start another. Then they hold on to the yarn and roll the ball across the circle to another child. Each child adds a sentence or two to the story, and holds on to the yarn when they get the ball. You’ll make a spider web on the floor and an original story at the same time. After the activity, discuss the difference between weaving a story and telling a lie.

Why I Like This Book: The cover caught my eye at the library several months ago. Since then, I have checked it out two more times and enjoyed it each reading. Of course, I love the rhyme. The meter and rhythm flow easily and make the story a very fun read aloud. The book is hilarious because Edwurd tells such ridiculous whoppers that it will have kids and adults laughing. I like that his little sister stands up for him even though he doesn’t even notice her. Since this is a story about telling lies, I like it that there are consequences for being untruthful. The illustrations are a perfect complement to the text. Berkeley Breathed is a cartoonist and his talent is evident in this book. The expressions are priceless and deliver on their half of the picture book.

28 thoughts on “Perfect Picture Book Friday-Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big”

  1. Great book, Penny! I was not familiar with the author…so I will check him out…LOVE the rhyme and the fact that the book can be a launching point for discussions on honesty. 🙂

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    1. Not at the fibbing stage??? You do have young ones, don’t you. I am so much older than you, Stacy! I’ll bet I could be your mother! Have fun with those little ones. Try to enjoy every moment and every stage (even the fibbing stage 🙂

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  5. Berkeley Breathed’s comic, “Bloom County” was a favorite when I was in my teens. I had no idea he illustrated children’s books. Thanks for the recommendation (and I love the honestly lesson).

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  6. Boy wish this had been around 40 odd years ago… both my brothers could tell whopping porkers when they were little…. mmm think they still do at times…lol. Great book!

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    1. Julie, I only wish I had written it. I love that you said, “it’s so…Penny!” I think I’m actually showing my personality on my blog and in my reviews…yea! Maybe that is kind of like “voice” and I am starting to get the hang of it.

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  9. Oh my, that part about Mable going to Brazil made me laugh out loud. Looks like a winner, Penny!

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  10. That sounds like a great lesson for kids. Teenagers would probably benefit from one about actions along the same lines. Love your activity!

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  12. This sounds so, so good! My son went through a fibbing stage when he was little, and one day said, “Mom, there’s a bird in the house.” I didn’t believe him, of course, and later found a bird in my kitchen. 🙂

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  13. This sounds fabulous! My 3 year old is just starting to fib and I was thinking of looking up books on the subject. Thanks for the jumpstart!

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