Shannon offers young head lice victims and the grownups who love them a much-needed source of levity and empathy. His itchy redheaded hero can’t help imagining the worst—which is right up Shannon’s alley (his always expressive hand-lettering is deployed to especially good effect). What if the boy becomes a social pariah? What if his condition requires a scorched scalp policy? What if the “lice-a-palooza” in his hair (which looks more like a hootenanny than a rock festival) takes over the entire house? Shannon wisely allows these anxieties to vent, then calmly defuses them with epiphanies (“I found out a bunch of kids had them!”) and informative asides (“Relax. Dogs don’t get head lice”). He also underscores the idea that every lice-ridden kid has a secret weapon: mom (the book is dedicated to “moms everywhere and their battled-tested anti-lice weapons”). By book’s end, the lice have been whittled down from satanic scourge to manageable pain, and readers will come away reassured that it will take a lot more than a bunch of bug-eyed, multilegged “Little Nasties” to sink their families. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)

Praise for David ShannonNO, DAVID!A Caldecott Honor BookAn ALA Notable BookA NEW YORK TIMES Best Illustrated BookA SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Best BookA BULLETIN FOR THE CENTER OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS Blue Ribbon BookJANGLES: A BIG FISH STORYA 2012 Parents' Choice FunStuff Award WinnerA 2013 Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee* "Picture-book art doesn't get much more rousing than this; for anglers in particular and adventure lovers in general, it's a slam-dunk."—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, starred review"Action-packed close-ups capture the seemingly omniscient, omnipotent Jangles from arresting angles, allowing readers to feel they are front and center in this fantastic fishing fable. Some fish indeed!"—KIRKUS REVIEWSTOO MANY TOYSA NEW YORK TIMES BestsellerGOOD BOY, FERGUS!A NEW YORK TIMES Notable BookTHE BUNYANS (by Audrey Wood)A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Best Book of the YearAn American Booksellers Pick of the ListsHOW GEORGIE RADBOURN SAVED BASEBALLA NEW YORK TIMES Best Illustrated Book

"Shannon offers young head lice victims and the grownups who love them a much-needed source of levity and empathy. His itchy redheaded hero can't help imagining the worst - which is right up Shannon's alley (his always expressive hand-lettering is deployed to especially good effect). What if the boy becomes a social pariah? What if his condition requires a scorched scalp policy? What if the "lice-a-palooza" in his hair (which looks more like a hootenanny than a rock festival) takes over the entire house? Shannon wisely allows these anxieties to vent, then calmly defuses them with epiphanies ("I found out a bunch of kids had them!") and informative asides ("Relax. Dogs don't get head lice"). He also underscores the idea that every lice-ridden kid has a secret weapon: mom (the book is dedicated to "moms everywhere and their battled-tested anti-lice weapons"). By book's end, the lice have been whittled down from satanic scourge to manageable pain, and readers will come away reassured that it will take a lot more than a bunch of bug-eyed, multilegged "Little Nasties" to sink their families." - Publishers Weekly starred review

K-Gr 3—There's a Lice-a-Palooza going on-right on top of the narrator's head. Our hero (he appears to be a slightly more mature David) has head lice. His ever-attentive mother is on the attack, with stinky stuff and a nit comb. Head lice may have taken over the boy's life, but his mom can conquer just about anything. Shannon's wry sense of humor makes a sticky subject easier to talk about, and although funny, the book imparts quite a bit of information while revealing the humiliation, embarrassment, frustration, and downright itchiness of these little nasties. Shannon's signature cartoon illustrations step the book up a level. The narrator's imagination runs wild-what is going on up there on his head? Cleverly designed spreads depict the lice having a party, hanging out on the couch watching TV, and dancing. But wait…they are actually vampire bugs feasting on his blood. Libraries everywhere should have this book, as this perennial problem crops up in just about every community. The book even comes with its own warning: "This book will make you itchy!"—Angela J. Reynolds, Annapolis Valley Regional Library, Bridgetown, NS, Canada

Head lice morph into friendly fellows in this comical and necessary title. When the intrepid narrator's mother discovers his infestation, she immediately jumps into action. Factoids about lice and their transmittal and treatment follow quickly. The youngster suffers from a large dose of shame as he wonders how they found him. He willingly cooperates with his ever-vigilant mother as she marches boldly into the fray, which climaxes with a visit to "a professional lice treatment place." Alas, the lice return, and the treatment must be repeated. Never fear, the boy knows his medieval history and readies for the next joust with suitable head armor. Shannon's trademark color palette of yellows and oranges, so wonderful in his David books, fills the spreads with explosive energy as his magnificently magnified lice leap off the pages with endearingly expressive faces, personalities and costumes. Playful lettering becomes part of the page design and demands a most expressive reading voice. Few books for young readers come with a warning. Heed the one boldly penned on the back cover: "This book will make you ITCHY!" Don't scratch your head over this purchase: Entertainment and information are all wrapped up in one funny and disinfected package. (Picture book. 4-7)