Rotten Teeth

One of my favorite books for children. I never get tired of reading this!

I have to admit, the illustrations in this book aren't my cup of tea, but my kids love this book! I have a 5-year old boy and a 3-year old girl, and they crack up and carry on about rotten teeth - we toss those two words into random sentences and the giggles start! The main character, Melissa, wants to take something for show-and-tell that really "wows" her classmates - and the jar of rotten teeth certainly fulfills her wish! My kids also still LOVE going to the dentist. I know, strange kids, but this book didn't instill any fear in them. They're too busy cracking up. :)

My six-year-old daughter, who usually gets a bit squirmy when there are more than a few sentences per page, is captivated by this story. Even though she proclaims the illustrations of the rotten teeth (which the main character's dentist father extracted from patients and collected in a jar) disgusting, she is really tickled at the idea of grossing out everyone at school with such a unique show-and-tell offering. There are lessons to be taught (such as what is "inapppropriate" at school) if that's what you look for in a children's book, but the book can also be enjoyed for the pure silliness factor and the beautiful but absurd illustrations.

The title of the book is right on target. Could Norman have known about the disruption a bottle of rotten teeth was sure to cause? Will Melissa ever feel she isn't special again? This book is wonderfully written with great illustrations. As a teacher, I may have second thoughts about our next Show and Tell experience. The story values the opportunity for students to be creative and different.

This is a great story with fantastic illustrations. Perfect for children who have a hard time at school with 'share' time or 'show-and-tell'.