Susan Hood ▪ illustrated by Janice Nadeau
Available now ▪ Kids Can Press ▪ Ages 3 - 7
This finely rendered fable introduces readers to France's version of the tooth fairy.
Story: In many countries around the world, there is no such thing as The Tooth Fairy. Instead, there is the Tooth Mouse! This modern fable, set in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, tells how an aging French Tooth Mouse names her successor. Can little Sophie meet the three contest challenges? Can she prove she is the right mouse of the job of La Petite Souris? Illustrated in gorgeous watercolors, the book includes information about tooth traditions around the globe.
The Story Behind the Story: Author Susan Hood explains: "When I worked at Nick Jr. Magazine, I wrote a regular feature called “Kids Like You,” in which I interviewed young children around the world about their everyday lives. My husband connected me with the French family he lived with as an exchange student years ago and I interviewed six-year-old Sophie. Given her age, I asked, “What happens when you lose a tooth in France?” She said, “Well, you give it to the Tooth Mouse, of course!” I had never heard of such a thing! The more I researched, the more I found that many, many countries all around the world (Algeria, Argentina, Belgium, Dominican Republic, Morocco, Russia, Spain, Slovenia, South Africa, Switzerland, Venezuela and more) have a Tooth Mouse instead of a Tooth Fairy. Italy has both! In my research, I also found a 17th century story about the Tooth Mouse, La Bonne Petite Souris, written by Marie-Catherine d’Aulnoy, one of the most prolific fairy tale writers of the French Salons. It’s quite a long story and like many fairy tales, it’s filled with murder, deceit and revenge. I wanted to write a younger, gentler story—my own modern fairy tale—and yet include the quests and challenges I loved in books as a child. Et voilà! The name of my Tooth Mouse comes from the little girl who first introduced me to her. Merci beaucoup, Sophie!"Formerly the content director for NICK JR. magazine, Susan Hood has written more than 200 children's books -- including two other picture books due out this fall: JUST SAY BOO! and SPIKE: THE MIXED-UP MONSTER, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, winner of both the 2012 Sibert Award for nonfiction and a Caldecott Honor Award. Illustrator Janet Nadeau lives in Montreal and is a three-time recipient of the Governor General’s Award for Illustration,
Canada’s most prestigious literary prize.
WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING:
FROM BOOKLIST
"★How charming is this?.... a unique ending that listeners and their parents will smile with the cleverness of it all. Nadeau’s art is clever as well. Using delicate ink lines and soft-shaded watercolors, she offers pictures that seem truly set in a world of mice. There is a lightness and sweetness to the art that makes every full-page picture and vignette a tasty yet smart confection. Those who’ve believed in the Tooth Fairy will happily make a place for the Tooth Mouse." (STARRED REVIEW)
FROM KIRKUS REVIEWS
"Beautifully executed…. Hood masterfully spins her story with lush language sprinkled with some French (which further impresses when read aloud). … Readers will pore over the exquisitely drawn details on each page.... With a nod to classic titles of years past, this provides a fresh, modern take on an itty-bitty heroine's achievement of her seemingly impossible goal."
FROM PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"Like Katharine Holabird’s Angelina Ballerina, this effervescent story from Hood (the Pup and Hound series) stars a dainty, ballet-loving mouse, but Sophie’s life is a little edgier than Angelina’s. ... Sophie’s ballet skills come in handy, but her courage and intelligence win the day. Hood’s confiding tone and French asides are part of the book’s charm, while Nadeau’s (Cinnamon Baby) ink-and-watercolor paintings, with their delicate tracery and moody pink and gray washes, temper the story’s frilliness with just a hint of dark humor."
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3 Comments on The Tooth Mouse ▪ picture book, last added: 10/3/2012
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I suppose I never thought much about tooth tradition and especially about the fairy being a rodent! In Tooth Mouse the reader is introduced to the mouse who delivers money to French children in exchange for their baby teeth. I love how the author Susan Hood uses French words and sayings throughout the text in context, not requiring French skills to understand the words. The pencil and watercolor illustrations are beautiful.Using warm romantic natural light greens, browns, and pinks, the illustrations feel dreamy soothing. The pink and white tooth littered end papers feel decedent and I appreciate the list of various global tooth traditions on the last end page.
Having never heard of a tooth mouse, I was immediately intrigued by this beautiful book, The Tooth Mouse. Children all over will be delighted to know what happens to the teeth of children in France and to learn a few French words and phrases they can put to use. I enjoy the idea of having to prove worthiness in order to obtain such a prestigious position, as Sophie was required to do. The illustrations are wonderful! Although I loved the story, I was slightly disappointed with the plan Sophie came up with in the end, and I can see young children being confused by the idea.
I have read about tooth traditions in other countries, but never heard specifically of the tooth mouse. I found this book to be a perfect blend of culture, tradition and fiction. The French vocab sprinkles throughout the book made it fun to read. The story itself was very cute and the English vocabulary used (ie: corridors, deep recesses, massive, trudged, guffawing, etc.), make using this book to teach context clues and vocabulary an easy choice. Unlike the previous comment, I actual enjoyed the ending and found it to be something young children would understand. The illustrations were very nicely done. I also enjoyed the list of tooth traditions listed in the back of the book. I see this as an opportunity to have my class research other tooth traditions and write their own fictional tale based on the traditions in other nations. Overall, I'd give this book a 5.