Dear Duck, Please Come! by Sarah Mackenzie illustrated by Charles Santoso**

 Rabbit informs his friend Duck via a letter that he has lost his tooth and asks Duck to come. Duck immediately begins searching for Rabbit's tooth. As he progresses to Rabbit's house, he includes more Piney Glen creatures in the search. The friends become more and more distressed. Where is Rabbit's tooth?!

Out of the books Sarah Mackenzie has written (and published), this one is my favorite! The word choice depicts the personalities of the creatures well, the plot progression is perfect, and it celebrates friendship and joy. The illustrations are adorable. The page layouts are clever. I love the endpages-the first spread is a map of Piney Glen, depicting the homes of all the creatures. The back spread adds the route the creatures take from Duck's house to Rabbits and all the places they searched for the tooth.

I read this aloud to my niece. She enjoyed it! We had fun predicting what kind of critter lived in which home before we read the book and then confirming our predictions. She liked tracing the route they took after we read it the book. A perfect book to read to a child who has lost his first tooth (no tooth fairy is mentioned).

**Highly, highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Almost Time by Gary D. Schmidt & Elizabeth Stickney illustrated by G. Brian Karas

I recently watched a video of Gary Schmidt on Read Aloud Revival, which piqued my curiosity about him as a person.  His late wife's pen name was Elizabeth Stickney.  

Ethan realizes it will soon be sugaring time when he eats his breakfast without maple syrup.  Impatiently he awaits the big day, watching for the signs his father mentions.  

A sweet story

I liked how it featured a father and son.  

Mr. Karas's illustrations also offer hints to the approaching sugaring time.

The beginning and the ending connect nicely (could use for mentor text ).

-Borrowed from the library.

Unlimited Squirrels in I Lost My Tooth! by Mo Willems

Mo Willems has created a new series for beginning readers/reluctant readers with squirrels!
Zoom Squirrel has lost his baby tooth and his squirrel friends panic.  Very humorous!
He also includes "acorny" jokes, facts about teeth, and quizzes. 
Readers may find the different squirrel names confusing.
-Borrowed from the library.

Grandpa's Teeth by Rod Clement

Grandpa awakes one morning to discover his false teeth (made in Switzerland) are missing.  The family and the whole town attempts to find the thief.
The thief is not revealed until the last page!
-Borrowed from the library.

Moose's Loose Tooth by Jacqueline A. Clarke illustrated by Bruce McNally

Moose's tooth is  loose but needs the help of his friends to pull it out.  Then the tooth flies out and into Elephant's mouth.  How will Moose be able to put his tooth under the pillow when it is inside Elephant?!!

My Wobbly Tooth Must Not Ever Never Fall Out by Lauren Child

Charlie's sister Lola does not want to lose her first tooth.  When she finds out about the tooth fairy, she quickly changes her mind!

The Missing Tooth by Joanna Cole illustrated by Marylin Hafner

Arlo and Robby are best friends and very much alike.  When Robby loses a tooth, the two friends get into a fight.  Friends can have differences and still get along!

Rotten Teeth by Laura Simms illustrated by David Catrow

Shy Melissa Hermann does not know what to bring in for show and tell.  When her brother, Norman, recommends the jar of their dentist's father's teeth, show and tell becomes quite exciting in first grade!! Melissa also discovers an important gift she has and is never the same!

George Washington's Teeth by Deborah Chandra and Madeline Comora illustrated by Brock Cole

This humorous book shares how George Washington struggled from tooth pain throughout his career.  In rhyming text this book is fun to read aloud and share.
Love Mr. Cole's drawing style!
Wonderful addition in the back:  time line with "important events in his life-from his own letters, diaries and accounts".  **Two photos of his actual dentures too!!
*Highly recommend.

What If You Had Animal Teeth? by Sandra Markle illustrated by Howard McWilliam

This is a fun book!
Images of kids with the animal's teeth in their mouth and how their teeth would be if that animal's teeth were in their mouth . . .learn facts about the amazing animal teeth.  At the end, there are facts about teeth and their development and teeth care.

Text Structures: fact boxes, photos, heading

Doctor De Soto by William Steig*

Mr. Steig writes longer picture books for an older audience.  This story is a family favorite.  Dr. De Soto is one of the best dentists.  He and his wife (his assistant) however, will not service cats and "other dangerous animals".  When a pitiful fox shows up at their doorstep, they make an exception to their rule.  Will this decision end their practice and their lives?!
Received the Newbery Honor
Highly recommend.
Strategies: predicting, inferring