ALA Booklist

for reading aloud. Using the same hilarious collage format she used in her popular The Scrambled States of America (1998), Keller presents dental basics through an imagined day at Tooth School. On wildly busy pages filled with facts and comical asides, Dr. Flossman and his 32 young pupils (representing the appropriate break down of incisors, canines, premolars, and molars) explore tooth decay and care, using creative devices such as student book reports to deliver the facts and some fiction (a video about Toothland, The Tooth Fairy's amusement park, for example). There's plenty of information, cleverly woven into laugh-out-loud humor for all ages: pictures of Dracula (before and after braces) for younger children; meditation and self-help humor for older ones; in-jokes for adults. Silly quizzes review the text (Tooth decay is caused by: a) bacteria and germs; b) slugs and worms; c) bad perms). The chaos of the book's full-page spreads perfectly captures the manic energy of a school day, and will leave kids giggling and ready to learn more. (Reviewed May 1, 2000)

Horn Book

Set in Tooth School, where Sally Incisor, Conan Canine, and all their enameled pals study under the tutelage of Dr. Flossman, the book identifies the four different types of teeth and their functions, shows the components of a tooth in cross-section, and discusses the importance of brushing and flossing. The information is presented in a comic sprawl of collage and acrylic art.

Kirkus Reviews

Painless dentistry is lightened with a dose of laughing gas. Fans of Keller's wacky The Scrambled States of America (1999) will find this a fact-filled, sure-fire, kid-centric introduction to a familiar staple of the elementary school curriculum: dental health. Here, Keller's inspired conceit—a "tooth" school "class" presided over by the single-minded Dr. Flossman—offers almost endless opportunities for kid-pleasing puns and clever classroom asides. The book begins with roll call of the "incoming" students: thirty-two teeth (eight incisors, four canines, eight premolars, twelve molars, and four wisdom). The "school" day then progresses through typical classroom routines: announcements ("GO CHOMPERS"), a lesson featuring a cross-section chart of a tooth, a student report on "Primary Teeth," an "informative" video on the Tooth Fairy, group process (incisors together please!), lunch (followed by brushing and flossing, of course), a lesson on tooth decay and cavities, and student reports on the history of dentistry. Check out the funny but fact-based multiple choice and True/False tests (Keller thoughtfully provides the answers). Dynamic book design mimics the untutored artwork of a particularly fun-loving and terribly talented ten-year-old. Keller employs a busy mix of stamp-pad art, ruled paper, notebook sheets, acrylics, colored pencil, crayon, marker drawings, and collage. Spiced with ample cartoony little asides (featuring appropriately costumed, fully ambulatory, and pleasingly smart-mouthed talking teeth), Keller's art delivers the "message" while entertaining, inviting close study and provoking belly laughs. A perfect gift for the dentist who has everything. Every waiting room (and library) needs a copy. (Picture book. 8-10)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Dr. Flossman welcomes his 32 students,—eight incisors, four canines, eight premolars, and 12 molars—to class. "Many of the book's abundant puns and asides are delivered by the teeth themselves," said <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">PW. Ages 5-10. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Apr.)

School Library Journal

Gr 1-4-This wacky book about dental hygiene begins with Dr. Flossman teaching his class, a set of personified teeth sitting at their desks looking "clean" and "bright." After the pledge of allegiance "-to this mouth and to the dentist who takes care of us," attendance is taken, and each tooth is named and identified. The teacher lectures about the parts of a tooth, primary vs. permanent teeth, and even the Tooth Fairy. Then the class is divided into groups: incisors, canines, premolars, and molars, for lunch. Following a lesson about tooth decay, reports on "teeth throughout history" are presented. Then the bell rings, signaling the end of the day. Students are advised to "rinse, gargle, and spit in a cup!-And don't forget to brush!" as they run haphazardly from the room. Two short-answer quizzes about the lesson are appended. The language and humor are somewhat sophisticated, but most youngsters will get a good laugh from a day in "Tooth School." The busy layout features lots of appealing color and animation rendered in acrylics, colored pencils, markers, and collage. Alice McGinty's Staying Healthy: Dental Care (Rosen, 1997) is a more straightforward and serious approach to the subject. For a truly painless, lighthearted look at the subject, open Open Wide and smile.-Elizabeth Maggio, Palos Verdes Library District, Rolling Hills Estates, CA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.