Open Wide: Tooth School Inside - Hardcover

Keller, Laurie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0805061924 ISBN 13: 9780805061925

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 2000

Synopsis

From the author/illustrator of The Scrambled States of America, here is a fun-filled introduction to teeth.

"Before the principal's announcements, will you all please stand and recite our pledge: 'I pledge allegiance to this mouth and to the dentist who takes care of us. And to the gums on which we stand, strong and healthy, with toothbrushes and toothpaste for all.'"

It's time for tooth school and Dr. Flossman is excited to meet the incoming class of 32--eight incisors, four canines, eight premolars, and twelve molars, including the four wisdom teeth. There's just so much to learn--from brushing and flossing to dentin and pulp to every student's nightmare: tooth decay!

Best read with a toothbrush in hand, this hilarious book is full of interesting facts (for instance, George Washington's teeth were not made of wood, despite popular belief) and a classroom full of quirky characters. Young readers will laugh their way to a better appreciation for those pearly whites that beckon them to brush. And from there it's just a short hop to flossing.

This title has Common Core connections.

About this title

Review:

Lauri Keller, the much-applauded creator of the wacky, wonderful The Scrambled States of America, traces one school day in a classroom of teeth in Open Wide: Tooth School Inside. Fortunately, when Dr. Flossman takes attendance, all 32 teeth are present to take the pledge: "And to the gums on which we stand, strong and healthy, with toothbrushes and toothpaste for all." The day proceeds with an anatomy lesson (illustrating dentin, enamel, pulp, etc.), which is interrupted only momentarily when Carl Canine badmouths a little molar (hurting his feelings even though he has a hard enamel shell on the outside). Sally Incisor then shares her report on primary teeth ("Babies don't even need teeth. You never see them eating corn on the cob or anything"), and the Tooth Fairy makes a guest appearance, offering molar-coaster rides and bemoaning the whole "under-the-pillow" idea, which causes her to fear suffocation.

Lunch is a messy affair--complete with food fights--and when it is over, none of the teeth feel like brushing. Of course, an in-depth lesson on tooth decay and cavities ignites a flurry of flossing, gargling, and brushing. As in Scrambled States (which is a must-see if you haven't yet read it), every clever, colorful collage bubbles with activity, hilarious asides between the teeth, and tiny details that you may miss the first time through. Two quizzes conclude the book, posing questions such as "George Washington had teeth made out of rocks and twigs. T or F" and "Tooth decay is caused by a) bacteria and germs, b) slugs and worms, c) bad perms." Kids will never ignore their teeth again--and when they do take a look in the mirror they may see a smiling tooth face peering back, begging for a good brush. (Ages 5 to 9) -- Karin Snelson

About the Author:

Laurie Keller is the acclaimed author-illustrator of Do Unto Otters, Arnie, the Doughnut, and The Scrambled States of America, among numerous others. She grew up in Muskegon, Michigan, and always loved to draw, paint and write stories. She earned a B.F.A. at Kendall College of Art and Design, then worked at Hallmark as a greeting card illustrator for seven-and-a-half years, until one night she got an idea for a children's book. She quit her job, moved to New York City, and soon had published her first book. She loved living in New York, but she has now returned to her home state, where she lives in a little cottage in the woods on the shore of Lake Michigan.

About this edition

• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0805061924
• ISBN 13: 9780805061925
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Keller Laurie