Book
Title: I Am NOT Selling My
Tooth!
Author:
Kelli Nielsen Illustrator: Kelly Hawkins
Website: www.kelliandkellybooks.com
Where to buy the book
Genre: Picture Book (Ages 6-8)
ISBN: 978-1503366077 (Paperback)
Publisher: Kelli and Kelly Books for Kids
Reviewed by Marlan Warren originally
in "Dancing in the Experience Lane" Open Salon Blog
“The kids in my class are losing their teeth.
Yuck!”
—“I Am NOT Selling My
Tooth”
What is there to say about children’s “baby teeth” that has
not already been said? On the face of it, the traditional equation is simple: 1
lost baby tooth = $ from a Tooth Fairy. Kelli Nielsen’s “I Am NOT Selling My
Tooth” puts a charming spin on this scenario with heartfelt warmth and humor by
taking the position that children are capable of making their own decisions
about how to respond to the body changes that are part of growing older. It is a
gentle examination of a rite of passage that adults, as well as children, can
relate to and appreciate.
The story takes off when the rebellious Alec declares, “I’m
keeping my teeth small just like me.” He doesn’t see why his teeth just can’t
grow bigger as he grows bigger. The fact that Alec shares the same name as the
author’s son, whom she thanks in the book’s Dedication along with her other son
Austin, grounds the story in reality and gives it a very personal tone.
Enhanced by Kelly Hawkin’s fun illustrations that evoke a
child’s abstract perception of space, color and line, “I Am NOT Selling My
Tooth” never talks down to children, but is right there with the child’s need to
have some autonomy in life choices, no matter how “small” they are. It takes
readers on a tour of the tooth-loss phenomenon that includes sharks, baseball
injuries and even an octopus that receives something other than money for its
lost tooth.
I would recommend this book for any parent with a child about
to lose a tooth or who has lost a tooth, and as an excellent educational aid for
dentists. It might even be helpful for therapists and life coaches who wish to
discuss life changes and the various options available for responding and
adjusting to them—no matter how old we are.
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