The Easter Bunny, in his divine wisdom, stuffed a book into the Bear’s basket.
The all-knowing hare delivered what could be considered the finest tome in the ‘loose tooth’ sub-sub-sub genre of the children’s book world. Little Rabbit’s Loose Tooth, the title of which should be fairy self-explanatory regarding the species of characters and subject matter, walks a delicate line between tooth fairy belief and, well, not. It’s a charming book for any kid, age 5-7, with a wiggly one in their mouth and who is curious about what happens next.
The reaction of the father bunny to the outlandish questions posed by the little rabbit is first rate in capturing the (unspoken here) quick-thinking internal monologue of “should I tell her there is a fairy or not or maybe leave it up to her mother…oh crap, what did her mother already say”.
For parents not wishing to go down the tooth fairy route but who have kids well-versed in, and who have already adopted the myth as fact thanks to family and friends, Little Rabbit’s Loose Tooth is a novel way to bring doubt back into the equation at home.
In the end there is, appropriately enough, no definitive answer. Which leaves it up to you to decide what to do, say and give for that 1st lost tooth.
I cannot recommend the silly yet sophisticated Little Rabbit’s Loose Tooth, by Lucy Bate, enough for any family with a kid who has, or is about to have, a “window in their mouth”.
Thanks Easter Bunny (wink, wink)!