The Tooth Fairy Wars
Nathan’s lost his first tooth! And he’s thinking he’ll hold onto it, so thanks-but-no-thanks, Tooth Fairy. This is one tooth that is staying with its owner.
Except the Tooth Fairy has other ideas. And we’re not talking about some run-of-the-mill garden variety fairy here. No, this is the Tooth Fairy. She’s on a tooth procurement mission—and she’s not about to let some little boy get the best of her.
But she may have met her match in Nathan…
Honors and Awards
Maryland Black-eyed Susan Award Nominee
How did this book come to be written?
I usually get ideas for stories right out of my head, but this book was the exception: something funny happened that gave me the idea. I got an email from my sister Holly one day telling me she had taken her 5-year-old son, Dillon, to McDonald’s for a Happy Meal. When he bit into his hamburger, one of his baby teeth nearly fell out. It was barely hanging there and would obviously come all the way out soon.
Well, Dillon got very upset about losing a piece of his body! He wanted his tooth to stay in his mouth. He was even upset with his mother for buying him that hamburger.
My sister explained about the Tooth Fairy, thinking it would make him feel better. Nope. Dillon didn’t want some fairy coming at night to take his tooth—he wanted to keep it forever.
Which got me thinking. What if the Tooth Fairy was just trying to do her job, and a kid didn’t want her to? What if he kept trying to stop her? How would she respond? I pictured the Tooth Fairy in a little three-piece suit, carrying a briefcase. She would always follow the rules, no matter what.
So that’s how The Tooth Fairy Wars was born. You will find that the story is dedicated to my nephew. This is my favorite rowdy read-aloud of all my books. Thanks, Dillon!
Note: The Tooth Fairy Wars has turned out to have a special appeal for dentists who work with children and like to keep a copy in their waiting rooms.
About the Illustrator
Jake Parker is a Utah-based animator and illustrator of picture books and comics. Among his animation projects are Rio, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, and Horton Hears a Who! Jake has illustrated more than 20 books, including his own, such as Little Bot and Sparrow. I adore his Tooth Fairy, and his art for the climax of the story is densely wild and delightful!
Reviews
“In this whimsical picture book, Nathan battles an annoyingly officious fairy over possession of his baby teeth… The scenes move swiftly through the page turns, while the richly detailed illustrations add humorous touches. Nathan’s creativity and perseverance will inspire other problem solvers, and his final victory will resonate with children facing that momentous first loose tooth.”
—Booklist
“Far more interested in the teeth than the money, Nathan ingeniously hides each fallen chopper—to no avail, as his assigned tooth fairy is just as determined to collect them… Clad in formal office togs and topped with a ‘do that wouldn’t dare show even a hair out of place in Parker’s comically detailed digital paintings, the tiny tooth fairy positively oozes bureaucratic severity. But Nathan outlast her and even a squad of thuggish enforcers euphemistically dubbed “Tooth Experts” from the 15th League of Enchanted Commerce... Go, Nathan! Stick it to the Man... er, Fairy!”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Most children are eager to exchange their lost teeth for money from the Tooth Fairy. Not Nathan, who wants to keep all his baby teeth “forever.” Thus begins a series of skirmishes between a determined boy and an equally obstinate Tooth Fairy... The humorous story of Nathan, his baby teeth, and a Tooth Fairy just trying to do her job will have children laughing as they attempt to guess who will triumph in the end.”
—School Library Journal
“Dentists & kids—Get this book! By far one of our favorite books. Every kid and dentist office needs this book! Hilarious and excellent illustrations.”
—Amazon review
“Fantastic Story! Absolutely love this book! Read it to my Pre-K class and they loved the creative story line and the amazing illustrations. Such a cute story about a boy who WANTS to keep his teeth. I bought the book and my 15-year-old sat down to read it and loved it!”
—Amazon review
“Cheers for The Tooth Fairy Wars! Great book! My daughter found this in the bookstore and we read it together. Found it to be especially nice for boys, as the Tooth Fairy can be very girly. Bought this for my nephew and shipped from Amazon. He loved it!”
—Amazon review
“Perfect for a bedtime story! My 5-year-old grandson has absolutely loved us reading this book. The pictures are beautifully done and catch his attention and the storyline is ingenious! I would definitely recommend this book.”
—Amazon review
“Love it! My kids ask to read this book over and over again. Such great dialogue, clever little twists, and great illustrations.”
—Amazon review