Maisy and her entourage soothe a friend’s anxieties about the dentist’s office. Charley’s loose tooth heralds a major milestone: his first visit to the dentist. However, he does not need to face this momentous—and a little worrisome—occasion alone; his friends accompany him on his visit in a show of support and solidarity. With the guidance of helpful Dr. Biteright and Nurse Sparkle, Maisy and the gang learn all about what happens at the dentist’s office. From fun rides in the dentist’s chair to X-rays and proper brushing technique, every aspect of a routine visit is covered in comforting detail. With her gentle approach to story telling, Cousins’s simple text explains away readers’ worries in a friendly, accessible format, and her trademark bright colors and familiar characters will reassure young readers. When Charley’s tooth eventually falls out, he’s calm—and excited about the prospect of a visit from the tooth fairy. A cheerful introduction to dentistry that’s the perfect prescription for worried tots. (Picture book. 2-5)
Pub Date: June 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-7636-2904-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2006
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
We’ll say it: a toothsome experience.
Flash those pearly whites!
Renowned poet Florian’s jaunty rhymes suggest that a hygiene ritual many children consider bothersome can be “fun! fun! fun!” Each spread features lively scenes showing kids demonstrating tooth- and mouth-cleansing techniques as well as two couplets in which the second exclamatory lines—containing a word repeated three times—rhyme with each other (“Toothpaste on the / brush! brush! brush!” “Take your time. / Don’t rush! rush! rush!”). Parents and caregivers seeking an enjoyable, stimulating way to motivate youngsters to perform this important daily task may wish to recite the rollicking verses to provide a pleasant, rhythmic, chanting “background” whenever their kids wield their toothbrushes. The colorful, energetic illustrations depict happy, wide-eyed, racially diverse small children—some with missing teeth—taking care of their oral-hygiene business with gusto. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
We’ll say it: a toothsome experience. (Board book. 2-5)Pub Date: July 5, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4998-1340-1
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
The familiar circular formula employing a cookie-eating, milk-guzzling mouse and muffin-eating moose now showcases a pancake-eating pig who, as readers may have come to expect, might be in need of some maple syrup. The domino effect is in full force: The sticky syrup must be dealt with in the bath; the bath demands a rubber duck; the duck prompts the pig to recall her farm origins; and so on. One adventure after another includes tap-dancing, picture-taking, and treehouse-building. In the act of interior decorating, the use of sticky wallpaper reminds the pig of the maple syrup, which leads back to the pancake. The funny, clever formula creates just the right amount of anticipation, with plenty of visual humor accompanying the antics. Whether the homesick pig is wrapped in a bath towel clutching her rubber duck or pirouetting on a tightrope, she’ll please fans of the previous books, who will relish more of the same. (Picture book. 2-5)
Pub Date: May 31, 1998
ISBN: 0-06-026686-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1998
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