Does Daniel Wilmott Tell Lies?  Juliet Martin  Ill. David Johnstone

 

Does Daniel Wilmott Tell Lies?

Juliet Martin  Ill. David Johnstone
Hazard Press, Christchurch (1991)
Picture Book, 34 pages, Paperback
ISBN 0 908790 23 6

 

Daniel’s friends looked at each other, heaved their shoulders and shouted, ‘Daniel Wilmott. You tell lies!’

 But does Daniel tell lies? This classic New Zealand picture book lets readers answer that question as Daniel keeps his friends guessing.  On a country walk, Daniel’s friends, Elliott, Alice and Nancy, join him outside an isolated house Daniel tells him that the empty, run-down building belongs to his Aunt Johanna.

‘Where’s she gone?’ they ask.

‘W..e..e..l,’ said Daniel, tilting his head, squinting his eyes and crossing his fingers, ‘She’s gone to the moon and she’s late coming back because … they tied her up with green string.’

Every time the four walk past the empty house, Daniel is asked the same question.

‘Where’s your aunt today, Daniel?’

Juliet Martin’s writing neatly captures the suspicious mood of Daniel’s friends and their cheerful repetition of their accusation. ‘Daniel Wilmott. You tell lies!’

 Daniel’s answers always have some plausible detail. Aunt Johanna is late getting back from underground exploration because somebody burgled her torch batteries. She’s late getting back from the jungle because she was chased up a banana tree. She’s late getting back from the desert because they made her join a camel train.

Finally, the day comes when the children see that the house has been put to rights, the lawn has been mowed and the chimneys repaired.

‘GREAT!’ cried Daniel, ‘My Aunt Johanna must be back.’ And he vanishes into the house.

 David Johnson’s colour illustrations bring the four children to life, from Daniel crossing his fingers to Elliott picking his nose. While they wait for Daniel, they swing on the gate, a wonderfully realistic reminder of kiwi kids just mucking about.

Then comes the surprise ending. Daniel emerges with gifts from Aunt Johanna: ‘some green string, a dead torch, a ripe banana and a picture of a camel.

The final page of the text offers the only possibly comment:

                                                 ?

 

 

Note: In 2026 a picture book, Lillian and Kionel, written by the late Juliet Martin and illustrated by David Johnstone, was published by Quentin Wilson Publishing.

 Trevor Agnew 

30 Mar 2026 [Review 3840]