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Lies and Other Tall Tales

by Christopher Myers, Zora Neale Hurston

From the first words of its scintillating introduction, Lies and Other Tall Tales is a linguistic delight. Back in the day when liars “could tell a lie so good, you didn’t even want to know the truth” Zora Neale Hurston’s work as an anthropologist took her back to her roots in the south, where she collected, among other things, the unique comparative lies told in African American communities in a tradition called “playing the dozens.” Today, playing the dozens “includes mama jokes and humorous dissing” Christopher Myers explains in his artist’s note that concludes this collection of some of those distinctive and funny turns of phrase Hurston gathered. “I seen a man so ugly he can go behind a jimson weed and hatch monkeys. . . The tallest man I ever seen could stand knee deep in hell and shake hands with Gabriel.” In addition to his lively verbal contributions in the introduction and artist’s note, Myers provide a distinctive visual interpretation to each of the lies and tall tales presented in a singular volume that grounds exchanges familiar to many older children and young adults today in historical and cultural traditon. © Cooperative Children's Book Center

Illustrated by Christopher Myers

CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 10 and older
Age Range: Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10) Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13) Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format: Picture book
Subjects: African Americans Competitions and Contests Humor Truth and Lies
Diversity subject: Black/African

Publisher: HarperCollins
Publish Year: 2005
Pages: 40
ISBN: 9780060006563

CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 398 Myers

Lies and Other Tall Tales