Review: Tooth by Tooth

 

The Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge is a celebration of children’s informational texts hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy. 

So…my teeth and I haven’t really had the best relationship over the years. You might even say we don’t get along all that well. I’ve had pretty much every tooth in my head filled (sometimes more than once), despite my best efforts to the contrary. I’ve chipped teeth, cracked teeth and stained teeth. Given my dental experiences, a book all about teeth isn’t normally my first choice in reading material. Fortunately, this week’s nonfiction title is a fun and funny book all about the “fangs, tusks and chompers” that fill different mammalian mouths in the animal kingdom.

Tooth by Tooth looks at different sizes, shapes and combinations of teeth, and introduces readers to some of the many different functions that teeth can serve.

For example, what kind of mammal would you be if you had really, really long canines?

Well, you’d likely be a seal or a cat or a dog or a bear or another type of carnivore, because big canines are sharp, cutting tools designed for killing and eating other animals.

The great scientific information in Tooth by Tooth encourages children to make deductions and inferences based on the facts provided, while the fanciful illustrations keep the tone lighthearted and accessible.  

Tooth by Tooth is a nice introduction to the different forms and functions of mammalian teeth, and a great way to start conversations about animal adaptation. Toothy  fun for everyone!

Also – check out the website for the strangely yet aptly named illustrator T. S. Spookytooth – quite an interesting, offbeat fellow by the sounds of it.