Tuesday, January 27, 2015

MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW: "I Am NOT Selling My Tooth!"



Title:                           I Am NOT Selling My Tooth!
Author:                      Kelli Nielsen            Illustrator:   Kelly Hawkins
Pub. Date:                 11/23/14
Genre:                         Picture Book (Ages 6-8)
ISBN:                           978-1503366077
Paperback                 Pages: 40             List Price:     $9.97 
Publisher:                  Kelli and Kelly Books for Kids
Website:                      http://www.kelliandkellybooks.com
Order at:                                 http://www.amazon.com/NOT-selling-tooth-Kelli-Nielsen/dp/1503366073

SUMMARY:  I Am NOT Selling My Tooth! honors children's need to be autonomous when coping with the life and body changes that come with growing older. A fun, useful book for parents, small children and anyone who needs to adjust to change.

“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.