Book Blog Mod. 11: George Washington's Teeth
Chandra, D. Comora, M., and Cole, B. (2003). George Washington's Teeth. New York: Farrar Strauss Groux.
This book is a quirky informational book about George Washington's dental health throughout his life, from his first lost permanent tooth in his early twenties, to his increasing toothlessness, to his issues with colonial-era dentures.
I'll give this book this: it sure is original in its premise. And odd. Not only does it choose as esoteric subject, it tells the story entirely in short rhyme, with whimsical pen and watercolor illustrations. It is an entertaining read, and made me feel sorry for George Washington, something I never expected. Nonetheless, it's light on information, in part due to the demands of the rhyming style, and partly due to its narrowness of topic: it's only about Washington's teeth. It presumes the reader already knows his other accomplishments, and life in that era.
This book is interesting an entertaining, but alas, little else. Even with its narrow topic, I learned more from the time line in the back than I did the story itself. It's cute, it's endearing, it sticks with you, but the rhyme scheme takes away from what little information there is.
Other sources seem to be willing to cut it slack for its ability to hold your attention, though. (Again, Bowker's Books In Print supplies me with all this.) Ann Welton of School Library Journal argues, "this is not only a historical treatise, but also a great lesson in dental hygiene," something I admit I never thought about. Publisher's Weekly approved of the book too, for its "bustling watercolor vignettes with comic hyperbole" and "lighthearted narrative."
So maybe I'm being a bit hard on this book. It is intended for elementary school kids, after all, it is a lot of fun to read, and I have to admit, it did better at making me want to take care of my teeth than any dentist lecture. Sure, why not, hit the book up.
This book is a quirky informational book about George Washington's dental health throughout his life, from his first lost permanent tooth in his early twenties, to his increasing toothlessness, to his issues with colonial-era dentures.
I'll give this book this: it sure is original in its premise. And odd. Not only does it choose as esoteric subject, it tells the story entirely in short rhyme, with whimsical pen and watercolor illustrations. It is an entertaining read, and made me feel sorry for George Washington, something I never expected. Nonetheless, it's light on information, in part due to the demands of the rhyming style, and partly due to its narrowness of topic: it's only about Washington's teeth. It presumes the reader already knows his other accomplishments, and life in that era.
This book is interesting an entertaining, but alas, little else. Even with its narrow topic, I learned more from the time line in the back than I did the story itself. It's cute, it's endearing, it sticks with you, but the rhyme scheme takes away from what little information there is.
Other sources seem to be willing to cut it slack for its ability to hold your attention, though. (Again, Bowker's Books In Print supplies me with all this.) Ann Welton of School Library Journal argues, "this is not only a historical treatise, but also a great lesson in dental hygiene," something I admit I never thought about. Publisher's Weekly approved of the book too, for its "bustling watercolor vignettes with comic hyperbole" and "lighthearted narrative."
So maybe I'm being a bit hard on this book. It is intended for elementary school kids, after all, it is a lot of fun to read, and I have to admit, it did better at making me want to take care of my teeth than any dentist lecture. Sure, why not, hit the book up.