Lift off! (Nit Boy 1), by Tristan Bancks

Eleven year old Lewis Snow has a wild blonde afro and his hair has never been cut. It is filled with nits of course, and he considers them his pets. He has even made some money by passing them to other kids so they could get a few days off school. However, adults typically want to get rid of Lewis's nits. None more so that Mrs Herrick, the deputy principal. She is after Lewis, or more specifically after his nits, and will stop at nothing to get rid of them.

Interlaced with this story is the story of Ned, the world's first jumping nit, who lives on Lewis's head. Ned's father is determined to see nits learn to jump and spread through humans like no nits have ever done. But Ned is a home body. He's not interested in jumping and exploring the world.  

Lift off is a wonderful and funny story about the tightly linked lives of Lewis and Ned as they face the expectations of those around them and the danger posed by Mrs Herrick, their mutual enemy.

There is a sequel called Bug out! which I have just started reading, I'll post a review shortly unless someone beats me to it.

Jonathan @Ashburton

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