About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is hovering between the pride of growing up and the self-consciousness of looking different. It is a perfect choice for the preschooler or first grader who is anxiously wiggling their first loose tooth but worrying about how their smile will look in upcoming school photos. The story follows Peter as he weighs the pros and cons of losing his tooth: the excitement of a visit from the Tooth Fairy and a new basketball versus the fear of a gappy grin. This early reader gently validates the complex emotions of childhood milestones, normalizing the mix of greed, vanity, and nervous anticipation that often accompanies physical changes. It is an ideal tool for parents to help children navigate the transition into being a big kid with humor and relatable logic.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
This is a secular, realistic story. It deals with the minor 'trauma' of physical change and social appearance. The resolution is realistic and hopeful, focusing on the natural progression of growing up.
Ideal Reader
A 5 or 6 year old who is a perfectionist or prone to social anxiety, specifically one who is reluctant to hit physical milestones because they fear the 'unknown' of their changing body.
