Bugs in My Hair!

This excellent animated adaptation of writer-illustrator David Shannon's lighthearted 2013 picture book about an embarrassing subject comes with a caveat: “Warning: This Movie Will Make You Itchy.” Narrated by Jesse Bernstein, Bugs in My Hair! follows a boy who has cartoonish head lice (even his Mom runs away screaming), detailing the condition with vocabulary (which also give us words such as “nitpicking” and “lousy”), diagrams, funny vignettes (including a hoedown with the creatures frolicking among hair follicles), and sound effects. The story covers the ways that lice are transmitted, the attendant humiliation, methods of treatment (including eucalyptus and a whole lot of laundry), and—worst of all—having to repeat the process if the bugs come back. Serving up a humorous and reassuring look at a common healthcare issue, this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: K, E, P. (J. Williams-Wood)