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Grandpa's Teeth
"Help, I've been robbed!
It'sth a disthasthter!"
Grandpa's teeth, handmade by the finest Swiss craftsman, are gone -- stolen from his bedside table! Grandpa suspects anyone who doesn't smile widely enough to prove that their teeth are their own. Soon everyone in town is smiling -- all the time -- and their ghastly grins are frightening the tourists away. Can the culprit be caught before the whole town cracks up
Popular Australion cartoonist Rod Clement, illustrator of Edward The Emu and Edwina The Emu by Sheena Knowles, has created a rollicking whodunit with a surprise ending that will have readers grinning from ear to ear.
00-01 CA Young Reader Medal Masterlist
It'sth a disthasthter!"
Grandpa's teeth, handmade by the finest Swiss craftsman, are gone -- stolen from his bedside table! Grandpa suspects anyone who doesn't smile widely enough to prove that their teeth are their own. Soon everyone in town is smiling -- all the time -- and their ghastly grins are frightening the tourists away. Can the culprit be caught before the whole town cracks up
Popular Australion cartoonist Rod Clement, illustrator of Edward The Emu and Edwina The Emu by Sheena Knowles, has created a rollicking whodunit with a surprise ending that will have readers grinning from ear to ear.
00-01 CA Young Reader Medal Masterlist
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
September 4, 2011
This is a silly and cute and very funny story, and the illustrations are wonderful, and also equally amusing.
I like the wackiness and the heartwarming qualities of this story too. Love the dog!!! Love grandpa and the other varied characters.
I thought I knew what was coming, could see it a million miles away, but as a young child I think the ending would have come as a surprise to me, and then I’d have wanted to read the story again and again. Knowing the ending at the beginning did not at all diminish my enjoyment of the story.
Perfectly matching story & pictures, and they’re so much fun. It’s all very clever and nearly a 5 star book for me. 4 ½ stars for sure. This is a marvelous read aloud book, and early readers will enjoy also reading it to themselves.
And I’m very glad my dentist has told me that people don’t need to lose their teeth anymore. Even with those very fancy and expensive false teeth, natural teeth are much more appealing.
This is the sixth/alternate title for this month’s grandparents theme for the Picture Books Club at the Children's Books group.
I like the wackiness and the heartwarming qualities of this story too. Love the dog!!! Love grandpa and the other varied characters.
I thought I knew what was coming, could see it a million miles away, but as a young child I think the ending would have come as a surprise to me, and then I’d have wanted to read the story again and again. Knowing the ending at the beginning did not at all diminish my enjoyment of the story.
Perfectly matching story & pictures, and they’re so much fun. It’s all very clever and nearly a 5 star book for me. 4 ½ stars for sure. This is a marvelous read aloud book, and early readers will enjoy also reading it to themselves.
And I’m very glad my dentist has told me that people don’t need to lose their teeth anymore. Even with those very fancy and expensive false teeth, natural teeth are much more appealing.
This is the sixth/alternate title for this month’s grandparents theme for the Picture Books Club at the Children's Books group.
May 12, 2015
In celebration of Grandparent's Day, the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books group here at Goodreads decided that September's theme would be about Grandparents. This book was selected as one of the books we'll discuss this month.
It's a fun read, with lots of subtle (and not-so-subtle) humor regarding the theft of a set of dentures. I loved the illustrations - they had a slightly exaggerated, almost too-real quality that I normally associate with the work of C.F. Payne. The narrative was fun to read aloud, with the lispy dialogue of a man who's lost his teeth.
Overall, we enjoyed reading it together, but honestly, I expected to like it even more than I did. For us, it was good, but not great.
It's a fun read, with lots of subtle (and not-so-subtle) humor regarding the theft of a set of dentures. I loved the illustrations - they had a slightly exaggerated, almost too-real quality that I normally associate with the work of C.F. Payne. The narrative was fun to read aloud, with the lispy dialogue of a man who's lost his teeth.
Overall, we enjoyed reading it together, but honestly, I expected to like it even more than I did. For us, it was good, but not great.
June 20, 2019
When Grandpa's teeth - handmade by Swiss craftsmen, and very, very expensive - go missing, nothing that his family, police Officer Rate, or the townspeople do seems of much help in locating them. Even an appearance on the television show Unsolved Crimes fails to turn up any leads! Sadly, this nefarious crime soon has the entire town in an uproar, as citizens begin to lock their doors, suspect one another, and (worst of all) relentlessly smile, in order to demonstrate that their teeth are all their own. Those manically grinning faces are hard to maintain, and also start to scare the tourists away, and soon a town meeting must be called...
The solution to the crisis (and to the crime) are really quite amusing - children will get a kick out of the droll illustrations, and quirky storyline in Grandpa's Teeth. Missing teeth and suspicious smiles, oh no! The idea that smiling all the time is actually not such a good thing - something with which I agree wholeheartedly, as I think sometimes we get obsessed with a showy kind of 'niceness' these days, disregarding the need for genuine emotional expression - is very welcome, and flawlessly delivered in a story that will have kids giggling. I can just imagine a storyteller reading Grandpa's lisping lines, and getting quite a reaction from the audience! Recommended to anyone looking for humorous stories for younger children.
The solution to the crisis (and to the crime) are really quite amusing - children will get a kick out of the droll illustrations, and quirky storyline in Grandpa's Teeth. Missing teeth and suspicious smiles, oh no! The idea that smiling all the time is actually not such a good thing - something with which I agree wholeheartedly, as I think sometimes we get obsessed with a showy kind of 'niceness' these days, disregarding the need for genuine emotional expression - is very welcome, and flawlessly delivered in a story that will have kids giggling. I can just imagine a storyteller reading Grandpa's lisping lines, and getting quite a reaction from the audience! Recommended to anyone looking for humorous stories for younger children.
October 1, 2011
“Grandpa’s Teeth” is a children’s book by Rod Clement and it is about how Grandpa wakes up one morning to see his teeth missing, which causes uproar in the town. “Grandpa’s Teeth” is easily one of the most creative and hilarious mystery reads for children everywhere to enjoy!
The book begins when Grandpa wakes up to find his teeth missing and his family tried to look for his teeth, but they could not find them. So, they called the police and Officer Rate tried to investigate the mystery, but suddenly, Grandpa asks Officer Rate if he could see his teeth and when Officer Rate smiled broadly, Grandpa became suspicious of the Officer. So, the family put up wanted posters of Grandpa’s teeth, but no one knew where his teeth were and things get worse when Grandpa starts suspecting everyone in town of stealing his teeth, which causes everyone in town to smile broadly all day.
Rod Clement has definitely done an excellent job at both writing and illustrating this mystery story. Rod Clement’s writing is extremely creative and dramatic as it centers on Grandpa losing his teeth and how the whole town tries to find his teeth while smiling broadly to avoid being a suspect. I loved the idea about a mystery centering on Grandpa losing his teeth because it was so creative and I rarely read books about a mystery being made out of finding a grandparent’s teeth. Rod Clement’s illustrations are extremely hilarious, especially of the images of all the people in the town smiling broadly just so they would avoid being a main suspect in the case. I also loved the way that Rod Clement draws light gleams on each person it really made them stand out.
Overall, “Grandpa’s Teeth” is a brilliantly hilarious book that children who love reading mysteries will easily love for many years! I would recommend this book to children ages four and up since there is nothing inappropriate in this book.
The book begins when Grandpa wakes up to find his teeth missing and his family tried to look for his teeth, but they could not find them. So, they called the police and Officer Rate tried to investigate the mystery, but suddenly, Grandpa asks Officer Rate if he could see his teeth and when Officer Rate smiled broadly, Grandpa became suspicious of the Officer. So, the family put up wanted posters of Grandpa’s teeth, but no one knew where his teeth were and things get worse when Grandpa starts suspecting everyone in town of stealing his teeth, which causes everyone in town to smile broadly all day.
Rod Clement has definitely done an excellent job at both writing and illustrating this mystery story. Rod Clement’s writing is extremely creative and dramatic as it centers on Grandpa losing his teeth and how the whole town tries to find his teeth while smiling broadly to avoid being a suspect. I loved the idea about a mystery centering on Grandpa losing his teeth because it was so creative and I rarely read books about a mystery being made out of finding a grandparent’s teeth. Rod Clement’s illustrations are extremely hilarious, especially of the images of all the people in the town smiling broadly just so they would avoid being a main suspect in the case. I also loved the way that Rod Clement draws light gleams on each person it really made them stand out.
Overall, “Grandpa’s Teeth” is a brilliantly hilarious book that children who love reading mysteries will easily love for many years! I would recommend this book to children ages four and up since there is nothing inappropriate in this book.
January 30, 2020
Grandpa wakes up from his messy room and comes to find his teeth are missing! He instantly starts to blame his family members, but no one is found to be guilty. His dog, Gump, couldn't possibly have done it. As grandpa's suspicions grow out of control, people all over town begin to walk around smiling, in a way that is almost creepy. This is to show grandpa that they have their own teeth! However, this does not stop grandpa on the search for his teeth! Even the city council has to get involved. Who will be responsible for taking grandpa's teeth?
This book is an hilarious mystery read aloud that will get every child laughing! For teachers who are introducing predictions and the genre of mystery, this read aloud is a must! In my third grade class we read this at the beginning of our mystery unit, practicing our skills of identifying suspect, looking for clues, possible red herrings, and always reading on high-alert!
This book is an hilarious mystery read aloud that will get every child laughing! For teachers who are introducing predictions and the genre of mystery, this read aloud is a must! In my third grade class we read this at the beginning of our mystery unit, practicing our skills of identifying suspect, looking for clues, possible red herrings, and always reading on high-alert!
April 21, 2013
I thought this was a pretty uneventful story which made it boring in my opinion. The story takes the reader through as the police try to find Grandpa’s missing teeth. I thought that the plot was drawn out too long and could have been shorter. The pictures were pretty good which helped to make the story a little more interesting. I think that students would find the story too long and not want to take the time to really read the story. In the classroom, I could use the book as a read aloud as I could make it more interesting through discussions. I would not use this book for a project because it was something that students could not relate to. Young students can relate to missing toys, electronics, and animals, but they cannot relate well to missing teeth as they might not understand that as they get older they might lose their teeth. I would not recommend this book to very many people as I did it not enjoy reading it myself.
September 19, 2011
I thought this one was kinda strange at the same time kinda humorous. Grandpa lost his teeth. Calling the cops & wanted posters for missing teeth? Silly. I didn't enjoy the idea that a place where people smile all the time is scary. In Hawaii we smile quite often, I smile a lot too. I think that is one reason people come here. Part of the book made me think of my grandma who is just starting bad dementia and wondered if this Grandpa was too. Dementia makes me sad...I did enjoy finding out where the teeth were the whole time! That was funny and reminded me of when my oldest was 2 and put Papa's teeth in his mouth and smiled! :)
March 19, 2012
The kids liked this one quite a bit. They both cracked up at the denouement, and I found it interesting watching my niece watch me read Grandpa's toothless lisp. Listening to adults read language that is meant to have a particular sound is one way that kids learn to read with voice and expression, so this was a great book for the kids to listen to.
February 6, 2009
A very funny story about the theft of Grandpa's teeth. I had fun reading this to my library classes as part of a lesson on the mystery genre. Grandpa's part is especially fun to read aloud!
April 16, 2018
Grandpa's Teeth is a goofy and engaging story perfect for any young reader. It all begins when Grandpa yells to his family to tell them he'd been robbed. It turns out that Grandpa has lost his teeth! An officer tries to solve the mystery but when he smiles, Grandpa suspects that he has stolen them. Now the whole town has to smile at one another all day every day to prove they aren't the culprit. Will the mystery ever be solved?
Grandpa is quite a character. He is slightly dramatic and grumpy yet still very lovable. He also never gives up on the case of the missing teeth.
This book was a fun read. I liked the illustrations as they had a lot of detail and backed up the text well. It falls under the realistic fiction category as this story didn't actually occur in real life but it most certainly could if a zany Grandpa ever lost his teeth! This book is also a mystery and I think that kids would enjoy reading this as it would keep them in suspense up till the very end. It is written in third person but focuses on Grandpa. This helps to keep the story centered on him and his missing teeth. All of the illustrations are framed with soft edges; none of the pages are filled up fully with color. They also wrapped around the text on some pages. The illustrators use of framing makes the book unique and keeps the pages turning. In Grandpa's Teeth, there are many bright colors used, which kept my attention on the book, as well as the attention to shadowing, lighting, and texture on the clothes and in the faces of the characters.
Grandpa is quite a character. He is slightly dramatic and grumpy yet still very lovable. He also never gives up on the case of the missing teeth.
This book was a fun read. I liked the illustrations as they had a lot of detail and backed up the text well. It falls under the realistic fiction category as this story didn't actually occur in real life but it most certainly could if a zany Grandpa ever lost his teeth! This book is also a mystery and I think that kids would enjoy reading this as it would keep them in suspense up till the very end. It is written in third person but focuses on Grandpa. This helps to keep the story centered on him and his missing teeth. All of the illustrations are framed with soft edges; none of the pages are filled up fully with color. They also wrapped around the text on some pages. The illustrators use of framing makes the book unique and keeps the pages turning. In Grandpa's Teeth, there are many bright colors used, which kept my attention on the book, as well as the attention to shadowing, lighting, and texture on the clothes and in the faces of the characters.
September 9, 2018
Summary:
This story is about Grandpa who wakes up one morning to his teeth missing. His family look everywhere for his teeth and eventually calls the police. The police investigate the situation and collect suspects to do a lineup, but Grandpa does not recognize any of their teeth to be his. After unsuccessfully locating his teeth, Grandpa becomes suspicious of everyone to the point where everyone is always smiling to keep from being a suspect. After months of this going on, the town gets together to raise funds to buy Grandpa a new pair of teeth. They raise enough money to buy two pairs and Grandpa gives one pair to his neighbor. At the end of the book, Grandpa's dog smiles and the dog ended up having the teeth all along.
Evaluation:
This book is an entertaining story, especially when the reader reads Grandpa's quotes with his accent. I would use this book either for entertainment or to prep students for a literature or reading skill lesson.
Teacher Tip:
This book would be good to use to introduce the students to summarization using the outline somebody, wanted, but, so, and then. Using this method helps with summarization and helps students learn what is in a story to create a story. Students will use this method to create their own story and make sure all the parts needed are there.
This story is about Grandpa who wakes up one morning to his teeth missing. His family look everywhere for his teeth and eventually calls the police. The police investigate the situation and collect suspects to do a lineup, but Grandpa does not recognize any of their teeth to be his. After unsuccessfully locating his teeth, Grandpa becomes suspicious of everyone to the point where everyone is always smiling to keep from being a suspect. After months of this going on, the town gets together to raise funds to buy Grandpa a new pair of teeth. They raise enough money to buy two pairs and Grandpa gives one pair to his neighbor. At the end of the book, Grandpa's dog smiles and the dog ended up having the teeth all along.
Evaluation:
This book is an entertaining story, especially when the reader reads Grandpa's quotes with his accent. I would use this book either for entertainment or to prep students for a literature or reading skill lesson.
Teacher Tip:
This book would be good to use to introduce the students to summarization using the outline somebody, wanted, but, so, and then. Using this method helps with summarization and helps students learn what is in a story to create a story. Students will use this method to create their own story and make sure all the parts needed are there.
October 20, 2021
"Grandpa's Teeth" is a charming mystery about a missing set of false teeth that are believed to have been stolen. There is an extensive search through the police, a crime show, and the whole town. As the teeth remain missing, the whole town is impacted until they come together to find a solution. Yet, the thief may show up at the very end!
Although this book had elements of predictability, it still had fun twists and humor making it an excellent mentor text for students writing their own mysteries. This story models humor, especially in the way Grandpa talks without his teeth, and the unexpected twist of the whole town smiling all the time to prove that they own their own teeth. Young writers could use these examples to incorporate both humor and unpredictable twists to their formula-style mystery writing. Additionally, the end is a bit predictable, but it is a great example of how to give a hint at the solution without actually stating it outright.
"Grandpa's Teeth" would also be a very fun book to use in a study of mysteries to compare and contrast with other mystery books. Because it follows the general mystery formula but has some extended story and twists included, it would be fun to compare to another mystery book with students. Students could then choose 2 mystery books on their own to compare and contrast.
Although this book had elements of predictability, it still had fun twists and humor making it an excellent mentor text for students writing their own mysteries. This story models humor, especially in the way Grandpa talks without his teeth, and the unexpected twist of the whole town smiling all the time to prove that they own their own teeth. Young writers could use these examples to incorporate both humor and unpredictable twists to their formula-style mystery writing. Additionally, the end is a bit predictable, but it is a great example of how to give a hint at the solution without actually stating it outright.
"Grandpa's Teeth" would also be a very fun book to use in a study of mysteries to compare and contrast with other mystery books. Because it follows the general mystery formula but has some extended story and twists included, it would be fun to compare to another mystery book with students. Students could then choose 2 mystery books on their own to compare and contrast.
March 9, 2023
Rod Clement knows how to play with language! Grandpa's Teeth, written and illustrated by Rod Clement, is a delightful and humorous mystery—a children's book that will entertain both young and old readers. The story follows the adventures of grandpa who has lost his teeth and must find a way to get them back before his birthday party. The illustrations are bright and colorful and capture the comicality of the search. The lispy dialogue will have listeners giggling and the reader trying to keep it together until the end of the book. The surprise offender gives away a toothy grin. Grandpa’s Teeth is sure to put a smile on the faces of children and adults alike. Highly recommended for a fun and entertaining read aloud!
March 13, 2018
Grade: 1st grade and above (as a read aloud)
Genre: Mystery
Unique feature: I do not typically read mysteries, but this was such a cute book! The unique feature of this book is that it would make a great read aloud. I read this book twice, once in my head and once via a Youtube video. Without listening to this book was a read aloud it was difficult to get the full effect of the book. This is because with his teeth, the grandpa speaks with a lisp. The author does a good job writing how the grandpa would speak without his teeth, but its much easier to get the full effect when you listen to it being read aloud.
Genre: Mystery
Unique feature: I do not typically read mysteries, but this was such a cute book! The unique feature of this book is that it would make a great read aloud. I read this book twice, once in my head and once via a Youtube video. Without listening to this book was a read aloud it was difficult to get the full effect of the book. This is because with his teeth, the grandpa speaks with a lisp. The author does a good job writing how the grandpa would speak without his teeth, but its much easier to get the full effect when you listen to it being read aloud.
October 23, 2017
Mystery, Realistic Fiction. Grades 2-5.
This is a classic "Who dunnit" type story that has many humorous parts included. Grandpa always keeps his dentures by his bed, and we are trying to figure out who could have taken them! This is a book that keeps students engaged because they are detectives trying to solve the mystery of the missing dentures. The illustrations are so vivid and descriptive that it captures the attention of not only a child, but of adults! Who is the culprit in this humorous mystery? Read to find out!
This is a classic "Who dunnit" type story that has many humorous parts included. Grandpa always keeps his dentures by his bed, and we are trying to figure out who could have taken them! This is a book that keeps students engaged because they are detectives trying to solve the mystery of the missing dentures. The illustrations are so vivid and descriptive that it captures the attention of not only a child, but of adults! Who is the culprit in this humorous mystery? Read to find out!
August 11, 2018
Soon after Grandpa’s teeth disappear from a glass of water near his bed, Officer Rate has the whole town under investigation. Anyone who smiles becomes a suspect! But they can’t find the teeth, even after a segment on Unsolved Crimes. So finally, the town all chips in and buys grandpa new teeth from Switzerland. On the last page, we discover who stole the teeth.
Illustrations are hilarious.
Illustrations are hilarious.
June 27, 2018
This is cute, who calls the police for missing dentures? Why, grandpas family does, of course! Cute story how they try to find them, and how the town comes together to find a remedy for grandpa. Cute book that will probably get kids chuckling a bit!
February 24, 2019
I liked this one. It was funny, and although adult readers will know what has happened, I think kids will enjoy the surprise. It's sweet also. I don't like the illustration style. There's nothing wrong with it, it's just not to my taste.
May 4, 2020
Lexile: 530L
DRA: 24
Six Traits: Organization
Another childhood favorite, this book is so unique and funny. I love all the different illustrations and extra add-ins, as they gave me something to look forward to when I was reading it.
DRA: 24
Six Traits: Organization
Another childhood favorite, this book is so unique and funny. I love all the different illustrations and extra add-ins, as they gave me something to look forward to when I was reading it.
February 14, 2023
This is such a funny story to use within the classroom to have such a humous story to a lesson. The lesson in which I will use this story is breaking down a story and even teaching vocabulary words within the story for better comprehension.
April 25, 2023
This is a humorous suspenseful book which will for sure grab readers attention. The pictures are perfect and the book has so many different lessons that a student could grasp from the book. This could be a great read aloud especially before grandparents day!
September 22, 2017
Very cute!
April 11, 2018
Great sense of humor book 👍
August 3, 2018
A toothless treat to read to your child.
September 1, 2018
So hilarious the illustration was the best damn I was wondering who took grandpas teeth too !!!
October 13, 2018
Start a mystery unit with a picture book
December 11, 2018
Super cute book with a fun twist at the end. My students really enjoyed this one as well.
June 24, 2019
A silly story of an old man who turns the town upside down trying to find his stolen dentures.
July 18, 2019
Just bought this book for my grandson and, of course, pre-read it! Great little story. I loved it and I can hear my boy laughing at the ending. The illustrations are top notch too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews