THE AMAZING AND TRUE STORY OF TOOTH MOUSE PÉREZ

An examination of that universal milestone signaling maturation—losing a tooth—that also offers a tongue-in-cheek history of tooth collection.

Tooth mice have been around for a long time. In the beginning, they lived on thatched and then tiled roofs, catching the baby teeth that youngsters threw upward. Woe to the child who missed the target; they would not get a replacement, and “if you can’t chew…you can’t grow!” Times change, and the narrative follows the adaptations brought on first by taller buildings, then by electricity (which led to the move to pillows and the introduction of gifts and notes). Thanks to the writings of Father Coloma, readers learn how the marriage of Madrid’s Tooth Mouse Pérez to an ant from northern Italy led to baby with “ant wings, like her mother.” Following the offspring’s immigration, American children mistook the collector for a fairy. Lópiz’s softly textured compositions, populated by Lionni-esque rodents, offer whimsical scenes that readers will linger over. In a brilliant parody of Diego Velázquez’s Las Meninas, Pérez’s daughters, decked out in cupcake liner skirts, confer in a candy shop that mirrors the setting of its inspiration. Herreros’ experience as a professional storyteller comes through clearly. Although the text, translated from Spanish and drawing from actual Spanish myths, may seem wordy, Herreros’ deadpan tone, second-person form of address, and folktale cadences will keep listeners rapt. The few humans depicted have skin the color of the page or appear light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A deeply humorous, beautifully imaginative celebration of growing up.