Does a Lion Brush?

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

As part of the "Early Experiences" series, this picture book along with the others posits a series of improbable situations. Of course kids know that lions, polar bears, and penguins do not brush their teeth the way humans do. They do learn, however, that these animals keep their teeth clean through the food that they eat. Children, unfortunately, must take extra steps. So there is a lesson about oral hygiene and the proper way to brush teeth. Information about the number of teeth a kid has versus an adult is also slipped into the book. The illustrations are done in a cartoon style which makes the lesson easier to swallow—although kids are cautioned not to swallow toothpaste. The final scene and endpapers are also amusing.