Lom and the Gnatters - Hardcover

Kurusa

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0888999445 ISBN 13: 9780888999443

Publisher: Groundwood Books, 2009

Synopsis

Lom the lion never combs his mane. It's in terrible tangles, and his head is unbearably itchy. Things go from bad to worse when the Gnatters settle into Lom's mane with their music, parties, and plans to invite their cousins the Fleazies to join them. Lom's anguished roars bring the Soldier Bird, who recommends combing, and when the comb won't go through the knots, cutting the magnificent red mane. Will Lom agree to the Soldier Bird's sensible advice — and perhaps make a friend in the process? Kurusa's light-hearted narrative and Isabel Ferrer's whimsical art make this an entertaining way to get children to avoid their own "Gnatters" problem by combing their hair.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

PreSchool-Grade 1—Lom is sitting on the savannah scratching his itchy mane when Soldier Bird joins him on his bicycle. He advises the lion to comb out the knots in order to get rid of the Gnatters that have taken up residence in his thick mane. Lom has never combed his hair before so it hurts when Soldier Bird tries, but the lion allows him to cut out the tangles, leaving him with short, prickly hair. Losing his beautiful red mane and being teased by other animals makes Lom sad, but he no longer itches. He does make a new friend when a baby porcupine adopts him as his mother now that they have similar hairstyles. The term "Gnatters" may be unfamiliar to some young readers. The maddening bugs are drawn enjoying life in Lom's mane and have friendly faces that belie the annoying creatures they really are. The lion's bright red mane stands out in the yellows, greens, and browns of the savannah, and observant readers will enjoy looking for the little porcupine hiding in the background. There are a number of picture books about unruly hair, including Neil Gaiman's Crazy Hair (HarperCollins, 2009) and Margie Palatini's Bedhead (S & S, 2000), but none that deal with bugs in quite this way. This story will have youngsters learning along with Lom about the importance of combing their hair every day.—Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY
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About this edition

• Publisher: Groundwood Books
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0888999445
• ISBN 13: 9780888999443
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 36
• Illustrator: Ferrer Isabel