T is for Andrew's Loose Tooth: Library Notes

 

Robert Munsch, Michael Martchenko

As a child my brother offered to help me remove a loose tooth with pliers when I sat for hours wiggling it when I should have been asleep. He went to the basement and surprise, surprise, four steps from the top the tooth came out! So, when I thought about the tooth fairy for this, I remembered this story and had to laugh when I discovered the same example inside the book!

The story is very descriptive. The main character, a boy named Andrew, came downstairs and saw three big red apples in the middle of the table. Then 5 things happened. He decided to eat one, reached out, took it, shined it and took a bite. Don't you just love how that was broken down step by step so clearly? So what do you think will happen next? Ask children for ideas then see if anyone guessed correctly. He yelled 'YEEE-OW!" Did you see that one coming? Normally we would hear, "YUM!"

Oh-oh! Something happened! What do you think went wrong? Do you have any clues in the story so far to help you make a guess? Maybe the title will help you out which is why it is good to talk about a book cover to see if ever it helps with the comprehension of the story. "Andrew's Loose Tooth" likely means that it was a loose tooth that caused him to yell when he bit into the apple.

Pause here to ask about any experiences with a loose tooth. Was it painful? Did it limit what they could bite into? What types of experiences did the child(ren) have around the loose tooth? When it came out did anything special happen? Some children may be excited to talk about the tooth fairy's visit although I am not personally someone who promotes the tooth fairy. Others are just excited about the right of passage that a lost tooth is a sign of growing up. Whatever their story, listen with interest then read on.

Have fun as you read this book together and discover all about Andrew's experience. The story is quite silly which will help ensure you keep it upbeat and positive. This gives you the opportunity to work through any fears children may have about having a loose tooth and normalize the experience and make it a positive part of growing up. If nothing else, the child will laugh as they remember Andrew's story.

This book is repetitive which helps children with story recall. What did Andrew do? What did mom do? What did Andrew do? What did dad do? and so forth. Andrew meets the dentist, a friend and a tooth fairy. Who was able to help? The answer may surprise you and leave you with a new trick to try the next time someone in your life has a loose tooth! Hope you enjoy the book!  (Note: These books can often be found at resale stores. A recorded reading of the story is also available online for most titles). 


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