MARTIN AND THE TOOTH FAIRY

When Martin—math whiz and true child of his time—discovers that the tooth fairy at his house pays more than the ones at his classmates', he proposes a scheme to benefit everybody: he'll put their teeth under his pillow and they'll split the excess profits. Martin is soon dealing in tooth futures and finding that a deal isn't always a deal: Cynthia wants to keep her own tooth after all, and Raymond demands a higher price. Then, when it turns out that the tooth fairy has ignored the first adopted tooth, Martin's mother tactfully explains that ``she only comes when it's your own.'' The variety of the kids' responses here leads to several witty turns in the negotiations; Martin's relief at being able to go out of business without being left in the hole makes a satisfying conclusion. Karas's sprightly, informal illustrations adroitly catch the humor. (Easy reader. 6-8)