Pepe is nervous about show-and-tell. He doesn’t think he has anything special to share. Everyone else’s things are so much more interesting than the comic book he spent all summer drawing. So instead, Pepe tells a little lie, turning the ball of lint in his pocket into his special pet. And when a classmate says the description sounds like a fib, Pepe (who doesn’t know what the word means) agrees that his pet is definitely a Fib. But as Pepe continues to lie to his classmates, the Fib grows into a ferocious monster that terrorizes the whole school!
This is a cute story about the way a little fib can grow into an uncontrollable monster, with a bonus lesson on the way the same imagination that creates harmful fibs can be used to create magical stories to entertain those around us. The illustrations are whimsical and fun, with just the right touch of scariness to the Fib as it grows ever more uncontrollable.

When young Pepe is forced to put away the comic book he has been busy creating because the classroom teacher instructs the students to begin a new project-- an endeavor for students to create innovative ways to share a few of their favorite things for show and tell-- he becomes nervous. Pepe has no idea what to share for show and tell and he believes all of the other students have wonderful things to share with the class. So, Pepe explains that he has a pet-- a tiny monster-like creature with seemingly fictional features. The students seated in a desk behind him explains that Pepe's pet sounds like "a fib" and in their lines of dialogue, this tiny pet becomes exactly what Pepe has been accused of. When Pepe allows his classmates to look at and marvel at his pet "fib", he finds himself making up stories simply to answer their myriad of questions. Of course, every time Pepe makes up an answer rather than telling the truth, his pet "fib" grows to monstrous proportions. Eventually, after this giant fib-creature has terrorized the entire school, Pepe's teacher, Mrs. Apple, explains that in order to harness the "fib" and bring it back under his control, Pepe must tell the truth. Pepe learns to minimize his pet into a speck of lint simply by returning to his teacher and each of his classmates and telling them the exact truth to their questions. As it turns out, the truth is much more fascinating and exciting than any fib he could think of.

This is a wonderful story to share with children who might experience tendencies of allowing their imaginations to wander and their creativity to overtake their reasoning skills. However, all children will delight in the whimsical method the story is portrayed and delivered.

The Fib - My 7 yr old had no idea what a fib was. Once she understood the book was about lying, she understood how scary the Fib monster can get and that the only way to make it disappear is by telling the truth. It was a good conversation starter and at the end, both my kids saw how quickly the Fib could grow and get out of control. As my 7 yr old said “You have to keep telling lie after lie to keep your story going and that will keep feeding your Fib.” Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
#TheFib #NetGalley

The Fib is a brilliant modern take on the classic Pinocchio story, exploring the way our little white lies can easily get out of hand. When Pepe is too nervous to share his comic book with his class, he shares an imaginary pet instead, but each lie he tells about the creature makes it become more real. Pepe soon loses control of his imaginary creature, the Fib, and realises it may have been better to tell the truth all along.

The illustrations are simple but effective in a style that children will easily engage with. Mentions the American grade system at the start, but this won't detract from the story for British readers.

I read this story with my little boy and we both really enjoyed the story. It has a strong story moral all linking to telling ‘fibs’ / lies. The idea of a physical fib which was created for the children to visually see was an amazing idea and really highlighted that lies can lose control and snowball until they become hard to come back from. This is an easy concept to understand and brings forward some great discussion points for children. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This is a cautionary tale for primary aged children which is simply told and beautifully illustrated. When Pepe tells a fib at school, a small monster appears - as he embellishes his story the monster grows and Pepe is scared and doesn't know what to do to control it. This is a great way to show how lies can easily spiral out of control. A must for primary school bookshelves.

A really lovely book about how dubs can get easily out of control. Great for PSHE and literacy. As a Year 2 teacher I can see myself using this a lot for use of similes, expanded noun phrases and potential for a pie Corbett T4W topic.

The fib, a little lie that grows bigger and bigger every time you tell a lie, even if its a small one, the story.
The illustrations are amazing, I throughly enjoyed them, this monster with this felt like texture and the characters in a simple style, it felt ... refreshing.
So I recommend this book to ANYONE who does not understand how lies can become harmful very quickly, but specially children.
Thanks to netgalley for providing this arc in exchange of an honest review.

Recommended ages: ~5–8, depending on sensitivity to spooky imagery

Pepe’s got a problem—he’s nervous about sharing his handmade comic book during show-and-tell, so instead he pulls a random piece of lint from his pocket… and tells a fib. A tiny one. But that little lie? It takes on a life of its own—literally.

This clever picture book turns the idea of a "fib" into a full-blown (and fuzzy) monster, showing how even small lies can spiral out of control when you keep trying to cover them up. The allegory is spot on, and the way the story builds as Pepe’s fib gets bigger—and harder to manage—is both engaging and relatable.

The illustrations are colorful. The fib monster is an awesome visual representation of guilt and growing lies, though heads up: very little ones might find his claws and teeth a bit spooky.

The Fib will be published October 7, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gloo Books, and Pedro Iniguez for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don't usually read children's books, but I'm also an artist, and the illustrations just captured my attention, and they were a lot of fun. I enjoyed this book a lot. It's short, but informative, teaching children, in a very lighthearted way, about how telling even small lies can lead to big trouble, and the proper way to counteract that. Yes, there's a monster, but its one of the cutest little (then big) monsters, I've ever seen.

This is book is perfect for younger readers (age 5 and up) who can handle a tiny bit of spookiness in their stories, with a life lesson in it as well. If this book reaches them at just the right age, it would definitely have a huge influence in their life.

I loved this and want to get it for my kiddo even though he's not quite to that age yet. I think the art style of this is so cool. This book is an interesting way to show how a small fib can get out of control fast - and can feel quite overwhelming. I appreciate the way this storyline went.

Mrs. Apple's class has show and tell. But Pepe doesn't think his show and tell will be as amazing as the things the rest of the class brought. What can he do? Luckily, there is a fib in his pocket.
This book would be great for a preschool aged kid. The illustrations will keep your eye. There are repetitive words you can have them recognize. And the message is one that age often needs to learn. Thanks to Gloo books and Netgalley for this cute story.

The Fib is an adorable illustrated Children’s book about the power of a lie and the way they spread out of control. Although the book sends a very direct and important message, the book is stunningly illustrated and sweet enough to keep little kids entertained. The artwork is stunning and this is definitely going to be a well loved book!

Thank you to the Publishers and NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

This book is timeless, with fantastic illustrations and the important message of how a little lie can snowball, and how freeing the truth can be to tell.

The illustrations are vibrant and make brilliant use of the space - every page feels like you have fallen into the chaos the characters are experiencing!

While my six year old son picked the book because he was intrigued by the cover, I really adore the fact that there is no shame in The Fib. Pepe’s teacher showed compassion in such a human situation, and it’s honestly just heartwarming.

this is a brilliant book how fibs can get out of hand and what we need to do about them. This would be a brilliant story to use in the classroom!

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

This book is a cute look at what happens when you tell a fib and how to make it right.

The Fib is a fun and imaginative story about a boy named Pepe who tells a small lie during show and tell—and watches it spiral out of control. His made-up creature suddenly comes to life, turning into a giant monster that threatens his entire school. As chaos unfolds, Pepe learns an important lesson about honesty, responsibility, and the surprising power of creativity.

This was so cute! It’s so important for kids to learn the significance of lying, telling a fib can grow into something much bigger. I loved the concept of the only way for The Fib to shrink was to tell the truth, that was genius. I think every child should read this.

The Fib is a creative and thoughtful story about honesty, imagination, and finding the confidence to be yourself. The book does a great job showing how even a small lie can grow into something much bigger, and how telling the truth — even when it’s uncomfortable — can help make things right.

I really liked the way the story explored the difference between pretending and being honest, especially in a way that’s easy for kids to understand. The illustrations were a perfect fit and added a lot of personality to the characters and the creature at the center of the story.

The only reason I’m giving this four stars instead of five is that the ending felt a little abrupt. I would have loved to see the main character’s growth come full circle, especially after the struggle he faced early on when he lacked the confidence to share his comic with the class. Still, this is a really sweet book with a great message, and one I think kids and parents will enjoy reading together.

I had so much fun reading this book with my two yer old son! He loved the illustrations so much. He kept turning the pages to look at them over and over again. The Fib was very entertaining for him.

I also liked that it was a more substantial read with a worthy topic to discuss: lying. It makes an important and relevant topic to discuss fun and lighthearted.

I would recommend this book to my fellow toddler mom friends.

Pepe and the Case of the Fuzzy Fib! 👾🧸

Check out my review on YouTube! @lifewithladyO #TheFib #NetGalley.

Pepe and his classmates are back from summer break and ready for show and tell! 🗣️🍎 Pepe has worked super hard on his own comic book 📖✨—but when it’s his turn to share, a wave of insecurity washes over him 😰. So… what does he do? He reaches into his pocket and pulls out… a fuzzy little FIB! 🧶😱

What starts as a teeny-tiny untruth quickly morphs into a big, fuzzy, chaos-causing monster! 🐾😵‍💫 The FIB grows bigger and wilder with every tall tale Pepe tells—until it's completely out of control! 😬🔥

Now it’s up to Pepe to fix what he started and face the hard truth. Can he stop the Fib before it gobbles up the whole school? 🏫💥

This story is a wonderfully spooky (but not too scary!) reminder that even small fibs can spiral into big problems 🧠💡. I loved how the message was woven in—perfectly palatable for young readers without ever feeling preachy 👏. And the illustrations? So vibrant and engaging! 🎨👀 Kids will love following the fuzzy antics across every page!

A delightful tale about honesty with a side of monster mayhem—what’s not to love? 💕📘👻