I Lost My Tooth! (Unlimited Squirrels #1)

PreS-Gr 1--In this first title in a new easy reader series, Zoom Squirrel has lost his baby tooth and his frenetic squirrel friends (with names like Boom, Zap, and Zowie) are frantic to help him find it, because they literally think the tooth is a baby that must be scared, alone, and hungry! The madcap silliness and humor will please fans of "Elephant & Piggie." The format is similar, too, with spare text in speech bubbles along with varying text size and boldness to convey strong emotions. Clean, simply drawn illustrations are done in muted shades of brown. In addition to the story, there are a couple of other sections (enough to warrant a Table of Contents for the 96-page book) such as "Acorn-y Jokes," and the clever addition of some factual information about teeth, provided by a character named Research Rodent. Savvy readers will find Pigeon hiding on one of the pages, and will enjoy locating the various "emote-acorns" throughout the book--acorns with different expressions. VERDICT Another easy reader hit for Willems. Fans of "Elephant & Piggie" will enjoy the author's trademark humor and format and embrace these new squirrely friends.--Ramarie Beaver, Plano Public Library System, TX

Full of signature Willems hilarity, this beginning reader series opener stars 16 squirrels whose cheerful energy bursts from the pages. When Zoom Squirrel tells the other squirrels about its lost tooth ("Th! Th! Th!" Zoom keeps saying, experimenting with the new hole in its mouth), the revelation is met by over-the-top cries of dismay. "The tooth was loose," Zoom Squirrel explains reasonably. "You should not let a tooth go loose, Zoom Squirrel," Zap Squirrel cries. "Teeth have no sense of direction," Zing Squirrel adds. "WE WILL FIND YOUR TOOTH!" the scurry shouts in chorus, and the story builds even after the tooth is found. The squirrels all sport adorable, bean-shaped noses, and a chart on the endpapers shows which is which. The action unfolds against a clean white backdrop, the better to emphasize the chatter; acorn emojis pepper the pages to convey moments of emotional impact; and tooth facts and back-of-the-cereal-box jokes round out the tale. New readers will giggle as they puzzle out new words and sounds. Ages 6-8. Agent: Marcia Wernick, Wernick & Pratt Agency. (Oct.)