Think that being a tooth fairy is all about sparkly fairy dust, shiny coins and collecting teeny-tiny teeth from cute, sleeping children? Well, think again.
Tate’s big sister May is taking her out on her very first tooth-collecting mission, and it’s going to be a little … well, dangerous. It will involve trekking through the deep, dark jungle, plunging into the murky ocean, and facing the ice of the Arctic. Because it’s not just sweet, slumbering little children that lose their pearly whites, oh no... All kinds of toothy predators lose their gnashers, too! Can Tate collect missing teeth from crocs, sharks and anacondas ... and all without waking up a single creature? A fast-paced, funny and action-packed adventure story, which introduces two tough brave new fairies (and many a ferocious animal!) to the picture book world.
We are delighted to welcome author Michelle Robinson to Picture Book Party to tell us about Tooth Fairy in Training
The Tooth Fairy is extremely busy.I know this for a fact. In our house she is expected to visit nightly, tooth or no.
It’s been this way since a tiny door appeared in my daughter’s room two years ago. I have absolutely no idea how it got there*.
Did you know fairies install their doors with sticky tack? Easier than cement, I suppose. I only wish they’d consider what it does to the paintwork every time they move house.
This particular fairy ups sticks on a whim. Perhaps some skirting boards have better views than others? Maybe there the dells are more dingly behind certain walls?
I wouldn’t know. We’ve never seen what’s behind the little door. But we do enjoy the interesting offerings the fairy leaves in front of it.
Coins would be too easy (albeit hard on the fairy’s wallet). Our fairy delivers tiny handwritten letters.
At first it was very charming — a neighbourly note letting us know she’d moved in. But my daughter started writing back.
Every night.
For two years.
Naturally, she expects a prompt reply — a miniature one in an exquisite, curlicued hand.
A simple, ‘Wish you were here!’ is not enough. She also wants answers to her many, many questions.
‘Who are your friends?’
‘What’s your middle name?’
‘Do you go to school?’
‘Who collects YOUR teeth?’
‘Can you do a wheelie on your bike?’
and,
‘Why haven’t you replied to my last sixteen letters?’
How do I know she feels terrible? Because on these occasions she goes above and beyond to make up for her shortcomings.
The lengths that fairy goes to to make amends. Chocolates! Sparkly gems! Tiny greetings cards in their own dinky envelopes! I imagine she’s particularly proud of the ant-sized origami she once left. It must have taken her ages. She even left out a tiny hand-embroidered stocking for Santa at Christmas.
How does she do it? Magic.
Fairy magic is amazing. It usually goes on out of sight — but in ‘Tooth Fairy in Training’, Briony-May Smith has shone a light on it.
And what light! From the dappled shade of the fairies’ woodland home to the milky moonlight pouring through the window of Melissa, doll-collecting fairy-kisser, every page shines. The iridescent front cover actually shimmers.
Of course I dedicated the book to my daughter. She’s very grateful, too. I only hope our resident fairy — and tooth fairies everywhere — know how much their hard work is appreciated.
*I’ve since changed my eBay password. Blasted fairies!
You can download a set of Tooth Fairy in Training activity sheets here! Plus we have a competition to WIN a copy of Tooth Fairy in Training plus a Crocodile Dentist Game!
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