The Great Thanksgiving Escape

Fearing finds laughs in the uncomfortable truth that for a lot of people -- children included -- family holiday gatherings are the opposite of fun.
--New York Times Online

Playing with perspective, Fearing's digitally created cartoons show long lines of pantyhosed legs and an aerial shot of outstretched manicured hands reaching for a hug. Funny play-by-play running commentary describes the action as it unfolds. ... Expect requests for second helpings of this holiday treat.
--School Library Journal

Graphic novelist and illustrator Fearing's first solo picture book, based on his memories of Thanksgivings past, is a hoot for all ages. Kids will identify, and parents will reminisce. The digitally manipulated colored-pencil illustrations from a kid's-eye view layer the humor on an exaggeratedly goofy text. A holiday offering that definitely makes a fun all its own.
--Kirkus Reviews

Fearing revels in his portraits of cinematically exaggerated horrors like the "Hall of Aunts!" ("We'll be pinched and smothered for sure!" cries Rhonda) and a basement full of teenage "zombies" staring at their digital devices. Rhonda's advice to Gavin--"Sometimes you have to make your own fun"--will serve readers well on Thanksgiving Day or any time of year.
--Publishers Weekly

Bold, digitally touched pencil illustrations follow the characters through the gauntlet of holiday terrors, from pinching, snuggling aunts to the (allegedly) booby-trapped but so- wonderful-smelling food in the kitchen. Filled with humorous dialogue and with surefire read-aloud appeal, this will easily find an appreciative audience--especially among those who are, like the characters, too old to play with the little kids and too young to play with the big kids.
--Booklist

With their odd angles and unusual perspectives, the digital and pencil caricature illustrations ... capture the claustrophobia--and, for imaginative kids, the diverting possibilities--of a large family gathering.
--The Horn Book

A wonderful kid's-eye view of Thanksgiving. ... Fearing's work has an appealing edginess that resonates with kids, and he's a careful observer of telling detail, which adds to the enjoyment.
--Star Tribune