Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews

Dear Tooth Fairy

Dear Tooth Fairy

Alan Durant
Illustrator:  Vanessa Cabban 
Novelty Book
For ages 4 to 7
Candlewick, 2003   ISBN: 978-0763621759

Holly's first tooth has finally fallen out. The problem is that she is rather fond of it, not wanting to give it away to the tooth fairy. So, instead, she places a set of plastic vampire teeth under her pillow. The next morning there is a friendly little note from the tooth fairy asking Holly to please leave her real tooth under her pillow the next time! Thus begins a correspondence between Holly and the tooth fairy. As notes are exchanged Holly discovers that her tooth is very valuable to the tooth fairies and that there is in fact a whole little world of tooth fairies and not just one of them. She also learns a great deal about fairies in general, that fairies like riddles, and that, in her tooth fairy's opinion, she would ""make an excellent fairy.""

It is not easy for Holly to give up her tooth but she eventually realizes that the tooth fairies need it more than she does. For her generosity, and her cleverness, the tooth fairy leaves her a special gift, something that the reader too may enjoy!

Vanessa Cabban's watercolor and pencil illustrations are soft and sleepy; rosy with pink and fairy dust, and the little notes in their envelopes can be found on every other page throughout the book. Combined with the author's often humorous text, this is a charming book which will delight all lovers of fairies and which may even encourage readers to take good care of their teeth so that the tooth fairies can use them in their buildings and other projects.