"Breezy and light, with a grounding touch of tenderness, this is both an entertaining solo read and a solid suggestion for family sharing." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Newbery Honoree Paulsen, renowned for his tales of survival, revisits the humor and hijinks found in his Liar, Liar series. Carl's hang-dog descriptions of having to wear pink overalls and ride an "original creation" bike are funny and endearing, and eternal optimist Pooder is the perfect sidekick to perpetually resigned Carl. And underneath the training mishaps is a sweet story about a kid who figures out that his life--and his dad--may not be so bad after all." -- Publishers Weekly " A comical take on the value of 'positive reinforcement' that's as perceptive as it is playful." -- Booklist "The tall-tale, anecdotal quality of Carl's story is entertaining with its recitation of disastrous, smelly, embarrassing, dangerous, and misguided moments . Funny, sure-handed, wise." -- Kirkus Reviews.