Nit-Pickin' - Hardcover

Nancy Van Laan has written many books perfect for reading aloud, including So Say the Little Monkeys; Little Fish, Lost; With a Whoop and a Holler, an American Library Association Notable Book; and the 1990 Parents' Choice Award winner, Possum Come a-Knockin'. She lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Kindergarten-Grade 3—Children who have experienced an invasion of nits will readily empathize with the dilemma facing the red-haired protagonist in this rollicking look at a lice infestation and the drastic steps one family takes to remove the bugs. Told in verse, using the voice of a young girl who consistently drops her "g's," this humorous tale has a down-home comic charm: "I was scritcha-scratchin'/while a batch-a bugs/was hatchin',/yes, those cooties were/attachin' to my head." The lively text is complemented by the over-the-top antics observed in Booth's cartoon illustrations. The grandmother's facial expressions are particularly giggle-inducing. The top margin of each page is a close-up view of the nit-infested scalp that detail-oriented readers will enjoy studying. Libraries looking for a humorous introduction to the topic will want to consider purchasing this book for a laugh-filled lesson on a common childhood condition.—Maura Bresnahan, High Plain Elementary School, Andover, MA
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