Nits! by Stephanie Blake

Gecko Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781776572243.
(Age: 3-7) Highly recommended. Themes: Nits, Friendship, Kindness. Another book featuring Simon, the cheeky rabbit from I can't sleep, Poo Bum, Super Rabbit and others, sees Simon falling in love. He loves Lou but Lou loves Mamadou and he is very jealous and doesn't know what he can do about it. But then Lou gets nits and even Mamadou teases her. Simon is steadfast in his love for her, and the reader can guess what will happen when she kisses him for being so kind.
The bold colours, bright pinks, blues and yellows of the illustrations are just gorgeous. Each individual rabbits has a unique personality while Simon stands out from the rest of the group, because he is a wearing a blue mask. The little hearts that hover above the head Lou of the rabbits are really cute and make her stand out as well.
The text is printed in a bold black and its sparseness makes for a great read aloud, but it is also a book that newly independent readers might like to tackle for themselves.
The story is a lot of fun to read and children will have plenty to think about as they watch the growing relationship between Simon and Lou. Nits are a common problem in schools and Blake will calm readers' fears about catching them when she has Simon reassure Lou that her mother will fix it. The humorous illustration of Lou kissing Simon will also demonstrate just how easy it is to get nits, regardless of how clean one's hair is. The kindness of Simon, staying true to Lou and not joining in teasing or isolating Lou, is a message that comes across strongly in the book.
Pat Pledger