Review by Booklist Review
K-Gr. 3. One of young Stewart's molars demands a steady stream of sweets. Often the cravings become so bad that Stewart goes into feeding frenzies at the most inappropriate times. Stewart retaliates against the pesky molar with a steady stream of vegetables until it finally falls out and is collected by the tooth fairy. This is an amusing story, but the zany, cartoonish, mixed-media illustrations are the real treat, especially in chaotic scenes of sweets flying in all directions as friends and relatives look on in horror. The molar itself lingers in the back of Stewart's mouth, a comic, angry, and malevolent presence. Kids are sure to enjoy this funny, but not overly didactic, look at the dangers of a sweet tooth enjoying unchecked power. --Todd Morning Copyright 2004 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In an interesting twist to the familiar story about how annoying it is to deal with an obstinate, demanding child, Palatini (who teamed up with Davis for Bedhead) puts the shoe on the other foot by fashioning a pint-size hero with a nagging sweet tooth. If Disney were to make a film about tooth decay, The Tooth might sound as if he's channeling Danny De Vito playing Snidely Whiplash: "Blah. Blah. Blah. Enough with the yakkin'. I need a candy bar. Now-ow!" Young Stewart gets in trouble with his teacher, his family and his friends because of the whining villain. "Those chocolate bunnies never had a chance," the boy explains about his obnoxious behavior. "It was The Tooth." Davis fills his hilarious watercolors with delectable details-bedposts shaped like hot fudge sundaes, dandy candy store wallpaper-and when Stewart decides to take control of his bullying bicuspid by going on a healthy diet, Davis pictures The Tooth waving his porcelain fists as Stewart shovels in peas and broccoli. In desperation, the hero finally aims a carrot that looks suspiciously like a dentist's drill at the wiggly tooth ("Kid! No! Not the carrot!)," and Stewart blissfully turns him over to The Tooth Fairy. Palatini and Davis here cook up a deliciously sly story that will likely satisfy a craving for lively fun. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Stewart is an "average, everyday kid" with a talking molar that inevitably lures him into trouble. At his cousin's wedding, the tooth demands a large chunk of cake, and when the boy crams it into his mouth, his parents deny that he's their son. At school, its clamoring for candy causes the boy's teacher to send him to the principal's office yet again. He foists off blame with the predictable phrase, "It's The Tooth!" The illustration adds to the hilarity as the molar peeks out of the boy's mouth with an impish and belligerent smirk, its fist raised in apparent anger. Throughout, the mixed-media cartoon artwork extends the comedy of Palatini's text and enriches her characterization of Stewart. In one spread, readers look down on him as he lies on the floor with a stomachache after raiding an Easter basket. This scene adds visual interest with a change in perspective, showing only the feet of his family members-even the paws of the cat-clustered around the sick boy. When Stewart finally tells his molar that he's switching to a "Healthy diet," Davis uses rosy red to perk up the palette and show the youngster's new determination to win the war with the tooth. Finally, Stewart extracts it with the help of a big carrot and the Tooth Fairy administers justice in an upbeat ending. With a rollicking text and charming illustrations, this adventure is a scrumptious delight.-James K. Irwin, Nichols Library, Naperville, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Hey! I'm dying here for a couple of CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS, OKAY?!"" A boy's outspoken sweet tooth constantly gets him in trouble until he bravely defies it by cutting out sugar and giving it ""the carrot."" The tooth's hilarious ranting, illustrated with comically grotesque caricatures, has great read-aloud potential. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The creators of Bedhead (2000) score again with this uproarious tale of a lad beleaguered by a aggressive sweet tooth with an attitude that's anything but sweet. Stuck with a bad rep thanks to a molar given to bellowing out "I NEED A CANDY BAR. NOW-OW!" at inopportune moments, Stewart finally starts to fight back, switching to vegetables and, when the grouchy grinder refuses to knuckle under, pulling out the ultimate weapon: a raw carrot. A few crunches later, out comes the offending tooth, off to become a headache for the Tooth Fairy. Decorating his scenes with arrays of tempting junk food, Davis illustrates the oral onslaught with views of a grimacing tooth waving tiny fists from the mouth of a moon-faced, pop-eyed child. Readers fond of the wordplay and anatomical humor of Richard Egielski's Buz (1995) will bite happily. (Picture book. 6-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
