George Washington's Teeth

George Washington's Teeth
by Deborah Chandra, Madeleine Comora

George Washington's Teeth
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Book Summary Information

Author: Deborah Chandra, Madeleine Comora
Illustrator: Brock Cole
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-12-26
ISBN: 0312376049
Number of pages: 40
Publisher: Square Fish

Book Reviews of George Washington's Teeth

Book Review: Brush up on George's dental dilemmas
Summary: 5 Stars

This is a splendid way to brush up on the dental dilemmas of President George Washington. Contrary to common belief, the author says none of his false teeth were wooden. This creative, well-researched, rhyming picture book documents the many dental woes of President One. Illustrator Brock Cole adds action and intriguing detail, with lovely, comical watercolor pastels of historic moments.
Complemented by text in rolling rhyme (a subtle poetry) and flowing verse (co-author Madeleine Camora has contributions to several anthologies of poetry for children), this is a book to add to the collection of children from pre-school thru sixth grade.

...and after George had been sitting a bit for his latest portrait to be painted,
"George stood up to have a look,

He fell back on his fanny.

'It doesn't look like me!' he roared!

'It looks like Martha's granny!'"

Famous portraits of George are featured in the concluding four-page Timeline, as well as photographs of his final set of denture, which are "carved from hippopotamus ivory, the plate swaged from a sheet of gold, and springs made of coiled gold wire." This detailed Timeline is based on George's letters, diaries and other historical documents, and provides bibliographic resources for further research.

The final note: "George's account books show that between the years 1772 and 1792, the medical bills for himself, his family and around 200 slaves amounted to $100 per year. By comparison, George's dental bills were $1,000 per year."

Records indicate George's chronic gum disease lead to recurring severe infections, contributing to his demise. Young readers may be concerned about the loss of their own teeth (since this is when "baby teeth" start disappearing).

Although not included in this book, parents, siblings and teachers may wish to brush-up on proper dental hygiene, to be prepared for questions that this book generates. A helpful dental hygiene website created by the Nova Scotia Dental Association:
[...]

This book is highly recommended for Pre-School through Middle School, and for ESL learners.

Summary of George Washington's Teeth

From battling toothaches while fighting the British, to having rotten teeth removed by his dentists, the Father of His Country suffered all his life with tooth problems. Yet, contrary to popular belief, he never had a set of wooden teeth. Starting at the age of twenty-four, George Washington lost on average a tooth a year, and by the time he was elected president, he had only two left! In this reverentially funny tale written in verse and based on Washington?s letters, diaries, and other historical records, readers will find out what really happened as they follow the trail of lost teeth to complete tooflessness.

Illustrated in watercolors with subtle humor by Brock Cole, the main story is followed by a four-page time line featuring reproduced period portraits of Washington.

The creators of George Washington's Teeth unhinge the jaws of history to examine the mouth of America's first president, tracking the poor man's dental woes as he gallops to war, crosses the Delaware, and, with only two teeth left, takes his place as leader of the country. Washington was plagued by black, rotting teeth from the time he was 22, losing about one a year until he was nearly "toofless" and had to have his first dentures made from a hippotamus tusk (that's right, not wood!). Poets Deborah Chandra and Madeleine Comora begin their quirky historical tale at a lively clip: "The Revolutionary War/ George hoped would soon be won,/ But another battle with his teeth/ Had only just begun..." Indeed. Evidently he was losing teeth even as he crossed the Delaware: "George crossed the icy Delaware/ With nine teeth in his mouth./ In that cold and pitchy dark,/ Two more teeth came out!" (Cleverly, illustrator Brock Cole mimics Emanuel Leutze's famous painting "Washington Crossing the Delaware," making Washington seem more uncomfortably tight-lipped than dignified.) The story ends happily ever after with the crafting of a nice new pair of ivory false teeth that allow George to dance around the ballroom through the night. Truth be told, however, he would be deeply troubled by his teeth until the day he died. A four-page, illustrated historic timeline of Washington's life (and mouth) completes this carefully researched, very funny, charmingly illustrated picture book that works to humanize a larger-than-life historical figure and in turn, history itself. Brilliant! (Ages 7 and older) --Karin Snelson

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