bookshelf

THE LAST LOOSE TOOTH

Name: THE LAST LOOSE TOOTH
Author: Tyler Clark Burke
ISBN: 978-0-593-12144-3

by Tyler Clark Burke ; illustrated by Tyler Clark Burke ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2020

An unusual take on managing change and new experiences.

bookshelf

Talk about being down in the mouth.

One of 20 and ensconced in the Upper Mouth, Lou will soon be the last remaining loose baby tooth. Much to Lou’s consternation, all 19 companion teeth are departing, making way for the permanent teeth. However, Lou just can’t seem to let go and fall out. Eventually, Lou’s surrounded only by “BORING adults.” Then, in a rushed, unconvincing development, Lou is finally free. The Tooth Fairy takes Lou to the Great Land of Teeth, an amusement park for dentition where Lou’s heartily welcomed by those former comrades in enamel. All baby teeth apparently end up there when their deciduous days are over. Readers who’ve chewed over the fate of baby teeth may find this conclusion satisfying. This amusing, albeit thin, story, narrated by Lou in first, er, person, is akin to positive tales about apprehensive kids discovering they can handle scary situations. Humorous, cheery, imaginative illustrations present, both in interior art and on endpapers, the denizens of upper and lower gums as close-knit, supportive companions. Ever smiling, dapper Lou sports a golden crown, blue bowtie, red boots, and green kneepads. Teeth are sparkly white and dressed in various costumes; canines are aptly depicted as dogs. Humans present white. Dialogue appears in balloons; some speech and onomatopoeic sounds are set in large capitals for dramatic effect.

An unusual take on managing change and new experiences. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020

ISBN: 978-0-593-12144-3

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: June 2, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING

- BOOK REVIEW
WHERE ARE YOU NOW?
by Tyler Clark Burke ; illustrated by Tyler Clark Burke

- BOOK REVIEW
BILL BOWERBIRD AND THE UNBEARABLE BEAK-ACHE
by Tyler Clark Burke ; illustrated by Tyler Clark Burke

bookshelf

ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

bookshelf

Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

bookshelf

IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

bookshelf

A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)