Vera Goes to the Dentist

Rating:
Summary: Scared My Three-Year-Old!
Review: I bought this at the bookstore, paying full price, hoping to familiarize my three-year-old daughter with the dentist prior to her first visit. Unfortunately, the plot line which has Vera jumping from the dentist chair and running around the block when faced with the whirring tooth polishing machine frightened her, rather than bolstering her courage. She got the idea that the dentist was someone to fear, rather than someone to care for you and your teeth. Our visit to the dentist a week after reading the book every night (her choice) was filled with tears and her crying "I want to go home!" And, yes, for those of you who think we just read the book with no discussion -- please! We had long talks about the dentist, how she counts, cleans and checks your teeth, how the chair is big and she uses various instruments and the room might smell funny and you might hear unusual sounds . . . The only thing my daughter DIDN'T do was leap out of the chair and run around the block. But only because I stationed myself at the door to catch her if she tried. I'd recommend for older readers who have been to the dentist before!

Rating:
Summary: Humanizing the Dentist!
Review: My 2 1/2-year-old and I love reading this book together. Instead of being scary, the scene in which Vera flees the dentist has become one of our favorite games: My daughter loves to run through the house "being Vera," and I chase after her as Dr. Knoll, saying "Come back, little girl! I want to clean your teeth!" My daughter loves the illustrations and now asks to go to the dentist all the time. It's a good read and has lots of details that kids would find fascinating.