Many children are eager to meet Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy. They are curious to see what these marvelous characters are like, and perhaps to even petition them for more presents, chocolate eggs, and money. In today's picture book you will meet Cat, a feline who is not content with getting things from these characters. Cat wants more; he wants to do their job for them and become the hero of the moment.
Here comes the Tooth Fairy Cat
Here comes the Tooth Fairy Cat
Deborah Underwood
Illustrated by Claudia Rueda
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Penguin, 2015, 978-0-525-42774-2
Cat has lost a tooth and like all self-respecting people
(and cats), he puts his tooth under his pillow so that the tooth fairy will
come. In the morning Cat finds a coin under his pillow, but he is not happy
because he was hoping that he would get to meet the tooth fairy. Cat, who is a
very determined fellow and who likes scheming, decides that he is going to find
a way to get the tooth fairy to come back. He does not have another tooth to
leave under his pillow, so he puts the tooth of comb there instead.
Not surprisingly,
the tooth fairy does not come. Shame on cat for thinking he could trick her!
Cat is scowling at the tooth from the comb when the doorbell rings. When he
opens the door, Cat finds that there are two packages and an envelope on the
doorstep. The envelope contains a letter from the tooth fairy. She commends Cat
for trying the comb tooth trick, and then says that if he helps her “with a few
deliveries” it might be possible for them to meet face to face.
In the larger
box Cat finds a tooth fairy costume, and in the smaller box he finds someone,
Mouse, who is going to help him. It would appear that Cat is not the only one
to try the comb tooth trick on the tooth fairy. Mouse did the same thing.
Cat and Mouse
are given the job of retrieving three teeth for the tooth fairy, but the jobs
turn out to be a lot trickier than they imagined it would be. Not only are the
retrievals difficult, but Cat and Mouse have to figure out how to work
together!
Once again Cat,
who is naughty sometimes but who is also very lovable, is given the chance to
take on a new role. Cat likes to think that he is pretty sneaky, but it turns
out that this time there is someone around who is even sneakier than he is.
Throughout the
book the narrative is told in the form of a conversation between Cat and a
hidden reader. This interesting format, and the wonderfully expressive
illustrations, makes this a picture book that is sure to delight readers of all
ages. In addition to exploring the nature of cooperation, it offers up a
reminder that one should never try to pull a fast on a fairy.
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