Truth About Cousin Ernie's Head, The
Traditionally, holidays are a time for loved ones to get together... and argue. In this quirky tale, McElligott's first, a boy rolls his eyes at his relatives' Thanksgiving Day disagreement about who stole his father's hat so many years ago, and whether it was an airplane or a buzzard that fell on Cousin Ernie's head. Tired of the shouting, the boy investigates his grandmother's attic and discovers an old home movie. There, in black-and-white, are the solutions to all of the family mysteries: "The unicycle bandit stole my dad's hat [and it] was Mrs. Halusa and her casserole that landed on Cousin Ernie's head." As a cartoonist, McElligott needs a bit of polish. His grimacing characters have thick features, his colored-pencil shading is uneven and his watercolors, from flesh tones to garish aqua and orange, are densely applied. Yet he takes an inventive approach to his illustrations. He supplements the full-color caricatures with duotone digital prints of the "movie," showing real people in silly situations. The tale itself, though, with its "aren't adults silly?" subject matter, may not have enough staying power to hold kids' interest. Ages 5-8.Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.