Lice, lice, lice. The word alone is enough to make you want to burn your clothes (and all the things) should one lousy louse enter your dwelling. Pinterest boards are crawling (tee-hee) with lice remedies and lice prevention. Just tonight, the lovely female voice on the overhead speaker at my local drugstore happily reminded us shoppers that they carry many lice control items should our precious progeny get infested. The louse is the new chevron during Back to School week.
My child is not in elementary school yet, or full-time daycare, but he does attend Mother’s Day Out twice a week. At some point in his life, I just about guarantee he will catch them – it’s a childhood rite of passage (that I thankfully missed). When he does, I will do a full body shiver, scream into a pillow, burn that pillow, march myself to a drugstore and get ourselves decontamination supplies. I will likely go into a cleaning frenzy that will last weeks and possibly months. I will lose so much weight from cleaning and not eating that I will fit into a size 8 and never be happier. BRING ON THE LICE, on second thought!
While my boy’s head is foaming with all the lice-killing goodness, we will again sit and read David Shannon’s hilarious book Bugs in My Hair! The intentional and occasional ALL CAPS illustrated text fully emotes the boys’ frustration and disgust with his newfound parasites. The words clearly describe his agony and confusion – how? Why? How long? Mom is the hero of the day and we even learn a little lice etymology in the process!
We are human, gross things happen to us, we cry a little, we learn a lot, and the best of us learn to find humor in some really lousy (tee-hee) situations. Thank you, David Shannon, for bringing light to a heavy and dreaded discussion. This book should be mandatory giving to all households experiencing a breakout. Make sure you get a copy for yourself, too, lest they lend it to you and share the nits! Ick!
Until then, we read it as a silly book to teach my young son about creepy crawlies (or as David Shannon calls them, “Little Nasties”).
About the Author
David Shannon is the internationally acclaimed creator of more than thirty picture books, including NO, DAVID!, a Caldecott Honor Book and his second NEW YORK TIMES Best Illustrated Book of the Year, and three more David picture books. Shannon’s bestsellers include his recent A BAD CASE OF STRIPES; ALICE THE FAIRY; DUCK ON A BIKE; and his recent JANGLES: A BIG FISH STORY. He lives in California with his family.
One lucky reader is going to win a Backyard Explorer Kit and a copy of Bugs in my Hair!
Giveaway open to U.S. addresses only. Prizing & samples courtesy of Scholastic.
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Disclosure: The above product was received for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Heartland Healthy Heads says
Great book. Teaching kids is so important. Every little bits helps to reduce fear and the stigma associated with head lice. We carry this book in our lice removal salon. Kids love it! One second grader in for a recheck today said she got this book at the book fair! Who knew having lice would spark her interest in knowing more about the bugs. Some kids think bugs are cool.
Stephanie SassyModernMom says
I kind of love this. Kids get so freaked out by the whole lice thing when the truth is it is really so common!
Janet W. says
I’d like to check out The Rain Came Down book, too!
Carrie Phelps says
I think my grandchildren and myself would also enjoy “A Bad Case of Stripes”.
Jessica Z says
I would like to check out Duck on a Bike
Natasha Rodriguez says
A Bad Case of Stripes looks really interesting!
Heather says
I would like to read, How Georgie Radbourn Saved Baseball, to my son.
Terra Heck says
I’d like to read The Amazing Christmas Extravaganza
with my kids. Thanks.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
Denise Taylor-Dennis says
I would like to read The Rain Came Down with my son.
Christa says
The Rain Came Down seems like a really good lesson!
Jessica B. says
I’d like to read Duck on a Bike to my son.
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Sara says
They have this book at my son’s school (he is 5) and he has had nightmares about the vampire bugs that eat your hair and suck your blood for 4 days now. The id not scared on anything . . .except this book. I came across this blog in trying to figure out a way to make him love school and sleep through the night again. So, words of caution, the pictures and concepts might be scary to some kids who have active imaginations and a fear of blood-sucking creatures with whom they have no experience. Ugh!