Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth by Alison McGhee

Illustrated by Harry Bliss. 40 p., Harcourt, 2004. Starting first grade can be scary, and it often coincide with losing a tooth. In this story, a little girl is frightened when she starts first grade - she has a loose tooth, and a second-grader has told her that the very innocuous-looking first-grade teacher, Mrs. Watson, is really an alien who steals her students' baby teeth. She decides that the only way to get through first grade is to keep her mouth closed. This isn't easy, since although she misses her kindergarten teacher, she's excited to try first-grade activities. When Mrs. Watson asks if anyone has a loose tooth, another child says he does. The girl tries to warn him about Mrs. Watson's propensity to steal teeth, and in the process, her loose tooth falls out. She discovers that not only does Mrs. Watson not steal kids' teeth, but also, she gives candy to kids who lose them. On the bus on the way home that day, she's able to let the second-grader know that she's onto her. Expressively illustrated in ink and watercolor, this story humorously addresses kids' fears about both first grade and losing a tooth at school. Ages 6-7

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