Tooth Trouble (Ready, Freddy)

Rating:
Summary: Tooth Trouble (Ready Freddie) by Abby Klein
Review: I liked this chapter book and I think young readers will too. I felt very sympathetic to Freddy's feelings when he was teased by his classmates on being a "baby" because he has not lost any teeth yet. I could understand why Freddy was ready to try just about anything that would allow him to sign the BIG TOOTH poster his teacher had up in the classroom. And even though Freddy's parents are understanding, Freddy's sister, Suzie is not. The sibling rivalry between the two left me always taking Freddy's side, until Suzie does something nice to help Freddy out with his "tooth trouble". You'll catch yourself racing to find out what happens in this wonderful book by Abby Klein. I also like how the illustrator, John McKinley, puts some fun in each picture by hiding a word for the reader to search for. Tooth Trouble is sure to be a hit!



Rating:
Summary: Good for Kindergarteners and First Graders
Review: I was pleasantly surprised when I happened upon this book. My son was a very early reader and I was looking for something age and experience appropriate to fill the void after finishing the Ricky Ricotta series. My son just turned five, and could read Captain Underpants, but I did not want to necessarily invite potty talk so prominently into play. I am also a bit hesitant for now about introducing some of the advanced subject matter topics in the Magic Treehouse series, because my son already asks more questions in a day than I can hope to answer.

Enter Freddy. The illustrations are wonderful and the writing style is natural and kid friendly. The topics are relevant to children this age. It seems there are so many series aimed at young female readers... happily, this series is likely to be enjoyed by readers of both genders.

Rating:
Summary: Inappropriate for 5/6-year-olds
Review: This little boy and his sister fight a lot throughout the story. They call each other names, and it glorifies a lot of bad behavior. The concept is fine, but the language is inappropriate for 5-year-olds unless you want to encourage fighting in your home. I read this aloud to my nearly-six boy and had to clean up the language and storyline. Older kids may be able to read this and discern between right/wrong behaviors, but the story is written about the age group that is just losing teeth...K-1st graders, and they mimic behavior they read about/watch on TV.