Book Review of The Fib
The Children’s Book Review
The Fib
Written by Pedro Iniguez
Illustrated by Nathan Kwan
Ages 4+ | 32 Pages
Publisher: Gloo Books (2025) | ISBN-13: 978-1962351300
What to Expect: Honesty, Imagination, Consequences, and Self-Correction.
In this imaginative picture book, readers will discover the tangible consequences of dishonesty and the power of truth.
On the first day of school, Pepe, feeling insecure about his comic book for show-and-tell, invents a fantastic pet he calls a “Fib,” which surprisingly materializes in his hand. As Pepe tells more lies about his Fib, it grows progressively larger and more mischievous, eventually becoming a monstrous creature that causes chaos in the school.
Losing control, Pepe seeks help from Mrs. Apple, who reveals that a “fib is a small lie” and that only telling the truth can make it disappear. As Pepe confesses each lie, the Fib shrinks and transforms back into a tiny ball of lint before vanishing, teaching him the importance of honesty. Mrs. Apple then encourages Pepe to channel his imagination by drawing a comic book about his monster, ensuring this “Fib could never hurt anyone.”
Pepe’s journey of learning the importance of honesty is clearly conveyed through the escalating predicament caused by his fib. The illustrations, with their textured and retro feel, are digitally rendered and effectively depict the Fib’s transformation, from a tiny creature to a menacing beast and back again. The story’s straightforward narrative, with clear and concise sentences, makes it accessible for young readers.
The Fib is a creative and memorable tale that teaches children about the impact of their words and the value of truth, while also celebrating the positive power of imagination.
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About the Author
Pedro Iniguez is a Mexican-American Bram Stoker Award-winning speculative fiction writer from Los Angeles. The Fib is his first picture book and he is the author of Mexicans on the Moon: Speculative Poetry from a Possible Future and the comic book Catrina’s Caravan, among several others. Apart from conducting writing workshops and speaking at several colleges, he has also been a sensitivity reader and has ghostwritten for award-winning apps and online clients. When he’s not reading, writing, daydreaming, or cooking, he likes to paint beside his Chihuahua, Cookie, and his turtle, Squirt.
About the Illustrator
Nathan Kwan is a Hong Kong-American illustrator, designer, and writer from Dallas, Texas. Unfortunately, he does not have a southern drawl. That would have been cool. The mildly offensive caricatures and comic strips he made as a tot introduced him to the world of illustration and animation where he found a collective calling of narrative storytelling. When he is not at his drawing table, he can be found cooking, at an indie cinema, or reading in a bookstore. Nathan is currently based in Cambridge, UK pursuing a Masters in Children’s Book Illustration.
