Tooth Decay

Children's Literature - Tina Dybvik

Royston's instructive reader is 32 pages of useful advice about teeth. It is written in a helpful second-person voice with colorful text blocks that expand on the facts presented in the main text. A table of contents poses eleven short questions about maintaining oral health through routine care. The chapters open with a biological description of teeth, and then continue with remarks about disease and nutrition. Throughout the book, color photos of diverse people support and demonstrate the book's concepts. Some pictures of advanced decay are not for the squeamish, but they definitely prove the author's point. Content-specific vocabulary words appear in bold and three final sections include a glossary, an index, and a list of Internet sites for students who want to learn more. This title is one of six in the "How's Your Health" series. It is a thorough introduction to dental hygiene—and its hot pink cover has shelf appeal. Reviewer: Tina Dybvik

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3

It is a simple enough formula: use large text to describe an ailment like tooth decay, then show a full-color picture of a tooth with a small hole that will get bigger if left untreated. Repeat accordingly for each topic on almost every page. This series masters the basics and simultaneously encourages further learning with sidebars that help readers think concretely about the subject. For instance, after stating the exact measurements of a head louse (3 mm long), the sidebar features a dot of the same size. Other suggestions that help solidify ideas include drinking water with a wide straw and then a narrow one to demonstrate the difference between normal and swollen airways, or squirting a water gun to witness the force of a sneeze. Altogether a pitch-perfect presentation.