George Washington's Teeth [Paperback]

From battling toothaches while fighting the British, to having rotten teeth removed by his dentists, the Father of His Country suffered all his life with tooth problems. Yet, contrary to popular belief, he never had a set of wooden teeth. Starting at the age of twenty-four, George Washington lost on average a tooth a year, and by the time he was elected president, he had only two left! In this reverentially funny tale written in verse and based on Washington's letters, diaries, and other historical records, readers will find out what really happened as they follow the trail of lost teeth to completetooflessness.

Illustrated in watercolors with subtle humor by Brock Cole, the main story is followed by a four-page time line featuring reproduced period portraits of Washington.

A highly palatable historical morsel. Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

This accurate and intriguing slice of history should find a place in any elementary school library. School Library Journal, Starred Review

. . . breezy, sympathetic, carefully researched vignette . . . [one] that will have readers feeling the great man's pain--and never looking at his painted visage the same way again. Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

Illustrator Cole is at his absolute best here, totally at ease with the human gesture and expression. . . . This is history for youngsters that will stick; it's wild and fun and factual, without a trace of mockery. Booklist, Starred Review

[A] carefully researched, very funny, charmingly illustrated picture book that works to humanize a larger-than-life historical figure and in turn, history itself. Brilliant! Amazon.com

A tongue-in-cheek dental history of our first president.

Deborah Chandra's previous children's books includeA is for Amos, whichPublishers Weeklycalled a charmer in a starred review. She lives in Altadena, California.

Madeleine Comora il³$