Tooth Fairy Books

With the recent loss of her two bottom teeth, Emmy's tongue has found a permanent place to rest in what we call her little window! It is funny to see her rubbing her tongue in the place where her teeth used to be. Emmy can often be found looking in the mirror to see if her permanent teeth have arrived yet. Today, there is evidence of a new tooth. VERY EXCITING!

As I said previously, in this post where Emmy and I were pondering the tooth fairy, many of the books on this subject do not convey the message that I wish to give to my baby girl. Of all the tooth fairy books out there *sigh* none of them have truly been what I am looking for. Childhood is so full of wonder and magic and I feel that it is my job as Mommy to keep it that way as long as possible. Until a publisher decides that my book about the tooth fairy should be published (well, the book in my head anyway), here is the best loose tooth book that we have found and a few others that we have enjoyed.

The Best: Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth by Lucy Bate pictures by

Diane deGroat. This book was written in 1975 and has since been republished with updated illustrations (stick with the original illustrations if you can - they are so warm and

so sweet!).

Emmy and I love this book the most for several reasons:

(1) Little Rabbit's loose tooth falls out in a bowl of chocolate ice cream which is Emmy's very favorite treat!

(2) Little Rabbit discovers she has a "window in her mouth" when the tooth falls out which is how Emmy describes the space where her teeth once were.

(3) Little Rabbit gives her tooth a bath in the sink just like Emmy did when her first tooth fell out.

(4) Little Rabbit put her tooth under her pillow just like Emmy did with both of her teeth.

(5) Little Rabbit has many good ideas about what the Tooth Fairy might do with her

tooth, but her first thought is that the Tooth Fairy will give the tooth to a baby rabbit that was just born, and that's how little baby rabbits get teeth which is what Emmy and I believe!

(6) Little Rabbit found a shiny coin in place of her tooth just like Emmy.

(A word of caution: Little Rabbit does wonder about the existence of the Tooth Fairy and even says she doesn't believe, but I just skipped over those lines. Always, always read - or at least scan - a book prior to reading it with your child)

A few other tooth fairy books that we have enjoyed:

Charming Opal - a Toot & Puddle book - written and illustrated by Holly Hobbie. This book is dear to Emmy and me as it portrays the story of two friends who take such great care of little Opal as she loses her very first tooth.

Silverlicious, which is the most recent addition to the Pinkalicious series by Victoria Kann, tells the story of Pinkalicious who doesn't just lose any tooth, she loses her SWEET tooth and now nothing tastes sweet. With visits from Cupid, the Easter Bunny, an elf and finally the Tooth

Fairy, aka Tootheetina, Pinkalicious finally discovers where sweetness really comes - from within "Always be as sweet as your sweet tooth."

(Click here to see our previous post about Pinkalicious.)

Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions from Around the World, by Selby Beeler and G. Brian Karas, is a wonderful resource book. When the author posed the question, "What did you do when you lost your baby teeth?" he was fascinated by the amusing answers he received so he put these traditions together in a simple yet entertaining manner. Also included in the book are the names, parts and functions of our teeth!

For our final recommendation, we would like to share Gone With the Wand, by Margie Palatini and Brian Ajhar, with you!! It is a very funny tale of how the Tooth Fairy helps the Fairy Godmother when she has "a very bad wand day."

"I'm Kapoofski is what I am!" cried Bernice. "Edith, I think my wand is -- gone." I almost choked on my crumpet. What Bernice Sparklestein, gone with the wand? Rubbish! Why her work was legendary! the stuff stories were made of. And she had the pictures to prove it!

Be sure to read this one for some good enchanting fun!!!

And that about wraps it up. We hope these book recommendations will help you when a little one in your life loses his or her first tooth. By the way, a book under the pillow to replace the lost tooth is a 'tootherific' idea!

Pondering the Tooth Fairy

"Other than a dimple

in a cute little chin,

What's more adorable

than a toothless grin?"

Emmy lost two teeth!

With the first tooth, Emmy and I were both in shock. She kept telling me, "Mommy, I lost a tooth." and I know I nodded and said something not very enthusiastic like "Really?" and continued to fold and put away the laundry until I finally tuned in and realized that she was serious and in her hand was her teeny, tiny tooth. On the inside, I was completely freaking out (she's not yet five years old)! On the outside, I celebrated by taking her up in my arms and dancing the 'Lost First Tooth Dance' around the house.

Emmy's Daddy and I had not yet devised a plan for the whole Tooth Fairy thing, but we quickly got our acts together. Emmy placed her tooth in a little box and placed it carefully under her pillow. She awoke to find a spinning toothbrush that she could decorate with stickers, animal flossers, and money under her pillow!

Truth be told, I had a really hard time with the loss of this first tooth. I was just not prepared. There are so many milestones during the first two and a half years of life and then things just kind of level off. Now I am realizing how much Emmy has grown these past couple of years...she feeds herself, dresses herself, brushes and does her hair, brushes her teeth, plays independently, shares with others, draws detailed pictures, writes words, speaks clearly, uses a vast vocabulary, initiates conversations and so much more!!! Emmy is just so sure of herself. With the loss of the teeth and her upcoming fifth birthday, I am certainly not feeling very sure of myself, but all I have to do is look in her twinkling eyes to know that everything is right where it is supposed to be and happening at the exact right moment!

As with most things in parenting, the tooth fairy story was thought of on the spot. With a bit more research on customs pertaining to tooth loss, this story has been refined and continues to build as more and more questions are asked by Emmy.

"How does the tooth fairy get into the house?"

"What does she do with the teeth?"

"Why does she leave money?"

"How does she carry all of the teeth?"

"Can you see the Tooth Fairy?"

"Where does the Tooth Fairy live?"

Worldwide there is much folklore, interesting tales, stories, fables, myths, and legends about the customs and beliefs surrounding lost baby teeth. The ancient Egyptians believed the sun made teeth strong, so they threw lost teeth towards the sun. Centuries ago in Europe, parents ground children's teeth into a powder and ate it to protect their children from witches. And one of my favorites...In Mexico, the little Tooth Mouse would take baby teeth and leave a coin in payment. He would use the teeth to replace the ones he lost from chewing on tough stuff.

With another tooth wiggling its way out of Emmy's mouth, I shared with her that the Tooth Fairy spoke to Santa Claus about her lost tooth, as well as her wiggly one, so he left her an extra special gift under the Christmas tree - a tooth fairy pillow! Moments later, as Emmy bit into her chocolate Santa on a stick, out popped her second tooth! It was so wonderful to have a special place to put the tooth. The pillow was rushed upstairs and placed under her bed pillows. The next morning the tooth was replaced with a shiny coin, some dollars and a bit of fairy dust left behind (glitter).

I am still searching for a book to share with Emmy about the tooth fairy. There are quite a few out there, but the messages given are not the ones that I want to share with Emmy. For example, a tooth fairy that keeps the teeth to make a necklace or adorn her throne or build her castle doesn't follow my story. I've explained to her that the tooth fairy collects the teeth, polishes them and tucks them inside the gums of brand new babies. The tooth fairy leaves behind a bit of fairy dust where the baby tooth used to be to help the permanent tooth grow healthy and strong. This story has really helped Emmy with her daily brushing as she wants her teeth to be well cared for so that the new baby will have pretty white teeth. She has also decided that every time she brushes, the fairy dust is pushed into her gums to ensure a healthy new tooth will grow just for her.

As I continue to search for a "just right" book to share with Emmy and with you, as well as help to honor this important milestone, I'll leave you with this poem - Emmy's favorite at the moment.

In this pocket you will find

A teensy, tiny tooth of mine.

So while I sleep where

dreams are made,

Let's see if you

Can make a trade.

In this pocket

I will lay,

the little tooth I lost today.

Please, dear fairy,

tonight as I sleep

leave me a coin.

My tooth you can keep.