Feast or family: Cousins team up to escape adults in Thanksgiving caper

In “The Great Thanksgiving Escape” children’s book, cousins Gavin and Rhonda — no longer babies and not yet addicted to screens — team up to escape the adults in an exciting Thanksgiving caper by author-illustrator Mark Fearing. It will make parents nostalgic for chilly holidays inside a house burgeoning with casserole dishes of favorite, traditional foods. Kids ages 5 to 8 will laugh at the “wall of butts,” a seemingly impenetrable barrier of adults watching television. Our two brave heroes dodge kisses from the aunts and a basement filled with teens before making their escape to the backyard — triumphant and rain-soaked. Fearing’s story illustrates the importance of creating your own good time with a little imagination and a cousin — now a dear friend.

“The Great Thanksgiving Escape” hardback book by Mark Fearing, $15.99, Candlewick.com.