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April and Esme: Tooth Fairies
Two young tooth fairies make their first lost-tooth collection in Bob Graham’s warm, whimsical tale.
A Junior Library Guild Selection. April Underhill, seven-year-old tooth fairy, gets a call on her cell phone. This is it! Her first tooth collection. April and her little sister, Esme, must convince Mom and Dad to let them take on the task all by themselves. But soon, two tiny fairies fly off into the night, over a highway of thundering eighteen-wheelers, eager to prove how grown up they can be. As always, the charm is in the visual the pony-tailed, winged dad in baggy jeans; the snug fairy house with teeth dangling from the rafters like wind chimes. Once again, Bob Graham has crafted a tale of heartwarming adventure, magical yet very real.
A Junior Library Guild Selection. April Underhill, seven-year-old tooth fairy, gets a call on her cell phone. This is it! Her first tooth collection. April and her little sister, Esme, must convince Mom and Dad to let them take on the task all by themselves. But soon, two tiny fairies fly off into the night, over a highway of thundering eighteen-wheelers, eager to prove how grown up they can be. As always, the charm is in the visual the pony-tailed, winged dad in baggy jeans; the snug fairy house with teeth dangling from the rafters like wind chimes. Once again, Bob Graham has crafted a tale of heartwarming adventure, magical yet very real.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2010
4 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Bob Graham
91 books84 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
An Australian children's author and illustrator. His books include Max, which won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize Gold Award, Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child, which won the Kate Greenaway Medal, and "Let's Get A Pup!" Said Kate which won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award
An Australian children's author and illustrator. His books include Max, which won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize Gold Award, Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child, which won the Kate Greenaway Medal, and "Let's Get A Pup!" Said Kate which won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
January 22, 2011
I adored so much about this book, I don’t even know what parts to talk about here and what I’d rather leave readers to discover for themselves. The story and illustrations are clever and whimsical.
Here is a family of tooth fairies, all with wings, dog included. So cute! The reader/listener can see from their front door sign that they’re a very old and well established tooth fairy family.
April at almost age 8 and Esme at age 6 get their first job picking up a tooth and leaving a coin in return. The entire story and its accompanying pictures were so good. I love how the coin is not under a pillow but in a glass of water; that’s where my teeth were put too, although mine weren’t even in my room given what a light sleeper I was. Here, the boy does wake up, but disaster is averted. These fairy girls are modern: they have cell phones and they text too. The juxtaposition of old fashioned folk tale fairies and modern conveniences tickled my funny bone. The fairy sisters’ family is an otherwise normal family with dog and mother and father, and rules and instructions, and lots of love. I like how the story starts before the title page. The only thing I wasn’t completely wild about was the last page of the book, but I can understand why the author made the choice to end it as he did, and the ending was okay.
The pictures are just wonderful. In addition to the family dog with wings, the intricate details in all the pictures are so much fun to peruse. The page with the boy’s grandmother in bed and what goes on around that setting is a hoot. There is a wonderful combination of types of illustration, ranging from almost comic strip like to more traditional paintings.
I doted on this book. Perhaps it’s not quite worth 5 stars but I thought it was unique and sufficiently enjoyable to earn that rating. I’ve never thought of tooth fairies as children before now, but because of this story, child tooth fairies now seems perfectly natural.
Here is a family of tooth fairies, all with wings, dog included. So cute! The reader/listener can see from their front door sign that they’re a very old and well established tooth fairy family.
April at almost age 8 and Esme at age 6 get their first job picking up a tooth and leaving a coin in return. The entire story and its accompanying pictures were so good. I love how the coin is not under a pillow but in a glass of water; that’s where my teeth were put too, although mine weren’t even in my room given what a light sleeper I was. Here, the boy does wake up, but disaster is averted. These fairy girls are modern: they have cell phones and they text too. The juxtaposition of old fashioned folk tale fairies and modern conveniences tickled my funny bone. The fairy sisters’ family is an otherwise normal family with dog and mother and father, and rules and instructions, and lots of love. I like how the story starts before the title page. The only thing I wasn’t completely wild about was the last page of the book, but I can understand why the author made the choice to end it as he did, and the ending was okay.
The pictures are just wonderful. In addition to the family dog with wings, the intricate details in all the pictures are so much fun to peruse. The page with the boy’s grandmother in bed and what goes on around that setting is a hoot. There is a wonderful combination of types of illustration, ranging from almost comic strip like to more traditional paintings.
I doted on this book. Perhaps it’s not quite worth 5 stars but I thought it was unique and sufficiently enjoyable to earn that rating. I’ve never thought of tooth fairies as children before now, but because of this story, child tooth fairies now seems perfectly natural.
January 31, 2011
This is such a cute, warm and humorous story. Yes, it's about tooth fairies and it's a "fantasy" but more than that, it centers around something that is dear to many children and that is being "old enough" to do something Important; especially something that the parents do and that the children admire. In the case of April and Esme, their parents finally entrust them with their very first tooth fairy mission and they are delighted and honored.
I love the details in the illustrations; the hippie dad with his pony-tale little ducky tattoo, the mom in the bathtub chatting with the kids--it all just feels so natural and cozy to spend a little time with this family that seems so very real and like that nice family you'd love to have next door--despite the shortness story and, well, the fact they are tooth fairies! ;-) And don't forget the sweet sweet little dog with its fairy-wings! Loved him.
The only thing that seemed a little "off" about the story was the very end featuring the little story about the rabbit; it just didn't seem to fit with the rest of the story and seemed tacked-on as more of a "statement" (one that seemed to come across well enough in the main story, anyway) but I didn't really mind. The whole thing is just a very heartwarming read, overall.
I love the details in the illustrations; the hippie dad with his pony-tale little ducky tattoo, the mom in the bathtub chatting with the kids--it all just feels so natural and cozy to spend a little time with this family that seems so very real and like that nice family you'd love to have next door--despite the shortness story and, well, the fact they are tooth fairies! ;-) And don't forget the sweet sweet little dog with its fairy-wings! Loved him.
The only thing that seemed a little "off" about the story was the very end featuring the little story about the rabbit; it just didn't seem to fit with the rest of the story and seemed tacked-on as more of a "statement" (one that seemed to come across well enough in the main story, anyway) but I didn't really mind. The whole thing is just a very heartwarming read, overall.
May 15, 2019
Two tiny tooth fairies tackle their first assignment - all on their own, with no help from Mom and Dad. Cute story of winged folk out there in the big, scary, human world. Graham's illustrations are, as always, superb!
May 18, 2017
:sigh: Another winner from Graham. Love his urban hippie parents... so real. Love the world-building of the details of the illustrations. Obviously there are elves or somebody to make the teensy cell-phones etc., but the fairy family also uses found items, for example one small pigeon feather makes a good floor broom for them. Love the opening and closing, the prologue and poem. Love the perfectly authentic plot of the parents thinking the children are too young for a rite of passage, and the kids being totally keen, and competent. Love the sweet granny. Such warm fuzzies....
September 11, 2019
Two tiny fairies embark on their very first tooth retrieval mission in this sweet picture-book from Australian author/artist Bob Graham, creator of such winning titles as
"Let's Get a Pup!" Said Kate
and
"The Trouble with Dogs..." Said Dad
. April and Esme, seven and six years old, respectively, are far too young (by their parents' estimation) to be out on their own in the dark night-time world. But they've been requested specifically, and are determined to answer the call. After all, they tell their concerned Mom and Dad, "ducklings have to take their first swim..."
Young fairy lovers - particularly those believe in the tooth fairy - will delight in this sweet fantasy adventure, and the glimpses it affords of a very contemporary fairy life. Dad may have wings, but he's also got stubble. Mom may be sweet and tiny, but she's got a tattoo (and uses a hair-dryer)! I liked the juxtaposition of a fairly traditional idea - that of the tooth fairy - and a non-traditional setting and cast. The adventure itself, in which April and Esme must overcome a few challenges, in their efforts to switch young Daniel's tooth for a coin, will keep young readers involved, while the artwork, done in ink and watercolor, has just the right blend of cute and crusty.
Young fairy lovers - particularly those believe in the tooth fairy - will delight in this sweet fantasy adventure, and the glimpses it affords of a very contemporary fairy life. Dad may have wings, but he's also got stubble. Mom may be sweet and tiny, but she's got a tattoo (and uses a hair-dryer)! I liked the juxtaposition of a fairly traditional idea - that of the tooth fairy - and a non-traditional setting and cast. The adventure itself, in which April and Esme must overcome a few challenges, in their efforts to switch young Daniel's tooth for a coin, will keep young readers involved, while the artwork, done in ink and watercolor, has just the right blend of cute and crusty.
March 24, 2011
April and Esme are a 6 and 7 years old and have been requested for their first assignment to gather a tooth! How very exciting... if their parents agree to let them take the job.
I love the idea of glimpsing a tooth fairy's normal life! And I liked how the story was as much about being tooth fairies as it was about parents' coming to terms with their children growing up.
So, for me personally this book was more of a three star, but I can see the appeal so I'm giving it four.
I just found the style was sometimes classic and charming, and sometimes hip and modern, and never really settled. Ditto on the illustrations.
Still all in all it's pretty cute!
I love the idea of glimpsing a tooth fairy's normal life! And I liked how the story was as much about being tooth fairies as it was about parents' coming to terms with their children growing up.
So, for me personally this book was more of a three star, but I can see the appeal so I'm giving it four.
I just found the style was sometimes classic and charming, and sometimes hip and modern, and never really settled. Ditto on the illustrations.
Still all in all it's pretty cute!
February 16, 2012
April and Esme are two young sisters and tooth fairies that have an opportunity to collect their first tooth. Their parents are hesitant to let them go out on their own because the girls are very young (7 and 6 years old) but like all parents must do...they gave their little girls a chance to prove themselves. Will April and Esme be able to handle this new responsibility and make it across the big highway?
I really enjoyed this story because it focuses on an important aspect of childhood--earning your parent's trust. Children will certainly be able to relate to this. Graham's illustrations are detailed, lovely, and seem to tell mini-stories within the story.
I really enjoyed this story because it focuses on an important aspect of childhood--earning your parent's trust. Children will certainly be able to relate to this. Graham's illustrations are detailed, lovely, and seem to tell mini-stories within the story.
December 16, 2010
What a delightfully surprising story! April and Esme are kids with cell phones and ambition; normal, you'd think, except their parents are tooth fairies. When April gets a call for a tooth pick-up, her parents are reluctant to let their little girls on their first assignment. But finally, they agree, and April and Esme venture out and prove themselves old enough for the job.
Bob Graham is so talented in providing perfectly normal yet unconventional adult figures in the children's literature world. With April, Esme, and thier parents, John and Fay Underhill, he goes further through his depiction of rather human-like fairies, only different in their wings, size, and interest in children's teeth. The book balances modern day conventions with the occasional fairy-tale language of old, a contrast that mirrors the generational transition of the story as the parents allow their children to grow up. Marvelous!
Bob Graham is so talented in providing perfectly normal yet unconventional adult figures in the children's literature world. With April, Esme, and thier parents, John and Fay Underhill, he goes further through his depiction of rather human-like fairies, only different in their wings, size, and interest in children's teeth. The book balances modern day conventions with the occasional fairy-tale language of old, a contrast that mirrors the generational transition of the story as the parents allow their children to grow up. Marvelous!
July 3, 2012
Who knew that tooth fairy parents were hippies?
I found the illustrations for this picture book rather odd. At the beginning, in introducing the tooth fairy family, the two little girls fly into the house, where the father was found drying clothes by the fireplace ... including a bra. The next page shows the girls talking to their mother who is taking a bath. This all seemed like off, especially for a kids book.
But the thing I didn't get was the random poem about a rabbit at the end. That didn't fit in with the story at all.
I found the illustrations for this picture book rather odd. At the beginning, in introducing the tooth fairy family, the two little girls fly into the house, where the father was found drying clothes by the fireplace ... including a bra. The next page shows the girls talking to their mother who is taking a bath. This all seemed like off, especially for a kids book.
But the thing I didn't get was the random poem about a rabbit at the end. That didn't fit in with the story at all.
October 29, 2019
Absolutely charming! A tooth fairy story with a contemporary twist. Bob Graham at his best!
March 1, 2011
April and Esme are two young tooth fairies anxious for their chance to prove themselves to their mother and father by collecting their very first tooth. I love the story of budding independence: the parents who love and support and worry about their girls; the adventures and perils; and the feeling of accomplishment at the end of the story. Graham's illustrations are delightful, depicting April and Esme living in a quiet tree stump, in a little cottage where teeth hang from the rafters. He throws in a contemporary twist that makes the story all the more fun: their home is near a major highway that buzzes with traffic, Dad works in his shop with stubble on his cheeks and his hair in a ponytail, and when recovering the tooth gets a little tricky, Mom is a text away. After we read this together my eight-year old daughter sat for a moment with a smile on her face and then said, "I really like this book." I just wish we had read it sooner. (Before she found out the truth about the tooth fairy!)
April 11, 2011
What is it about Bob Graham? I love his illustrations -- soft, watercolor, evocative; his families -- kind, loving, such normal parents (I love the dad with his ponytail); and his stories, so sweet and touching, but never cloying. As this one opens, seven year old fairy April Underhill gets a call on her cell phone, requesting a visit as a child has lost his tooth. What a perfect opening . . . a surreal blending of the real (cell phones) and fairy realms in such a matter of fact way. Little sister Esme accompanies April on her first trip as a tooth fairy. Though not without its challenges, the two sisters work together to succeed. Bob Graham's books are magic!
December 14, 2010
Bob Graham has a wonderful feeling for families--rumpled, workaday REAL families, and he transfers the same saccharine free spirit to superheroes, nursery rhyme characters and fairies. His Underhill family is delightfully ordinary--save for the fact that they are tiny and tooth fairies. Love the details--Mum in the bathtub, wings spread out behind her, the "string bag" for carrying the coin and then the tooth and little Esme's confusion over the human grandma's dentures. If you're tired of cutsey-wutsey fairies, here's an antidote that has charm without mawk.
November 19, 2017
Book Level: 2.8
Summary: This is the tale of two tooth fairy sisters in training, as they travel to retrieve their first tooth.
Writing Trait: Conventions – In this story there is a lot of dialog; with dialog comes the use of quotation marks and correct punctuation. This text would benefit students who are beginning to incorporate quotation marks into their writing. For instruction, I would read aloud each character in a different voice. I would explain that I know someone different is talking because of the quotation marks. After pointing out that quotations come just before the person speaks and after the person speaks, I would display sentences on the board that are missing quotation marks and ask students to come up and draw where they belong.
Reading Component: Fluency – This story provides the opportunity for students to read aloud with inflection in their voice, thus increasing fluency. In a classroom, I would turn this book into a Reader’s Theater activity. A few students could be assigned the roles of Esme, April, Mom, and Dad. Students would practice their roles before presenting to the class. I would read the narration of the story and together we would demonstrate using expression as we read aloud.
Summary: This is the tale of two tooth fairy sisters in training, as they travel to retrieve their first tooth.
Writing Trait: Conventions – In this story there is a lot of dialog; with dialog comes the use of quotation marks and correct punctuation. This text would benefit students who are beginning to incorporate quotation marks into their writing. For instruction, I would read aloud each character in a different voice. I would explain that I know someone different is talking because of the quotation marks. After pointing out that quotations come just before the person speaks and after the person speaks, I would display sentences on the board that are missing quotation marks and ask students to come up and draw where they belong.
Reading Component: Fluency – This story provides the opportunity for students to read aloud with inflection in their voice, thus increasing fluency. In a classroom, I would turn this book into a Reader’s Theater activity. A few students could be assigned the roles of Esme, April, Mom, and Dad. Students would practice their roles before presenting to the class. I would read the narration of the story and together we would demonstrate using expression as we read aloud.
December 7, 2016
1. This book is a Charlotte Zolotow Award Nominee for Honor Book (2011) and a Prime Minister's Literary Awards Nominee for Children's Fiction (2011).
2. This book is appropriate for K- 2nd.
3. In this story two, young, tooth fairy sisters get their first tooth pick-up call - on their cellphone! April and Esme convince their Mom and Dad to let them go all by themselves and after some preparation they fly off into the night. Their flight brings many challenges but eventually they make it to the child's home to pick up the tooth and back home again.
4. The best part of this story are the details in the illustrations. Each page brings a whole new world for readers to explore all from the perspective of a fairy. The story is completely new and one that anyone is sure to never heard before.
5. A) One use for this book could be for students to create a character study of either April or Esme. They could draw the fairy, and its wings, and write traits and characteristics of the character around the drawing.
B) This story could also be used for a writing assignment. Students could write the next adventure of April and Esme as they go on their second tooth collection.
2. This book is appropriate for K- 2nd.
3. In this story two, young, tooth fairy sisters get their first tooth pick-up call - on their cellphone! April and Esme convince their Mom and Dad to let them go all by themselves and after some preparation they fly off into the night. Their flight brings many challenges but eventually they make it to the child's home to pick up the tooth and back home again.
4. The best part of this story are the details in the illustrations. Each page brings a whole new world for readers to explore all from the perspective of a fairy. The story is completely new and one that anyone is sure to never heard before.
5. A) One use for this book could be for students to create a character study of either April or Esme. They could draw the fairy, and its wings, and write traits and characteristics of the character around the drawing.
B) This story could also be used for a writing assignment. Students could write the next adventure of April and Esme as they go on their second tooth collection.
Read
December 3, 20171. Awards the book has received: Charlotte Zolotow Award Nominee for Honor Book (2011) and a Prime Minister's Literary Awards Nominee for Children's Fiction (2011)
2. Appropriate grade level: Kindergarten- 2nd grade
3. Original 3-line summary: April and Esme are young tooth fairies. They must convince their mom and dad to let them take on their first tooth collection. The two young tooth fairies fly into the night, over a highway of thundering eighteen-wheelers, eager to prove how grown up they can be.
4. Original 3-line review: I love the idea of glimpsing into a tooth fairy's normal life! And I like how the story was about being tooth fairies as it was about parents' coming to terms with their children growing up. I also loved the creative illustrations.
5. 2-3 possible in-class uses: The children can write about their experience with the tooth fairy and draw a picture to go along with it. The class can create a song about brushing their teeth and sing together.
2. Appropriate grade level: Kindergarten- 2nd grade
3. Original 3-line summary: April and Esme are young tooth fairies. They must convince their mom and dad to let them take on their first tooth collection. The two young tooth fairies fly into the night, over a highway of thundering eighteen-wheelers, eager to prove how grown up they can be.
4. Original 3-line review: I love the idea of glimpsing into a tooth fairy's normal life! And I like how the story was about being tooth fairies as it was about parents' coming to terms with their children growing up. I also loved the creative illustrations.
5. 2-3 possible in-class uses: The children can write about their experience with the tooth fairy and draw a picture to go along with it. The class can create a song about brushing their teeth and sing together.
July 28, 2020
VERY cute story that connected a fantasy world to the real world through themes and illustrations.
I can see myself reading this story with children and asking questions like: "What can you imagine will happen on April and Esme's next tooth collection?"
I like that the story of tooth fairies are done in a way that isn't over the top but relatable.
cute tiny cell phones and a tiny dog with wings what can go wrong.
The last page made me ponder (and ill continue to ponder) what the mom said in defense of the girls' being too young for this tooth collection.
"foxes still chased hares on the hill, and things were different back then"
The hare can choose to look back for the fox [and end up dinner... dark, i know] or can lean towards the horizon and possibility for a new fate.
I can see myself reading this story with children and asking questions like: "What can you imagine will happen on April and Esme's next tooth collection?"
I like that the story of tooth fairies are done in a way that isn't over the top but relatable.
cute tiny cell phones and a tiny dog with wings what can go wrong.
The last page made me ponder (and ill continue to ponder) what the mom said in defense of the girls' being too young for this tooth collection.
"foxes still chased hares on the hill, and things were different back then"
The hare can choose to look back for the fox [and end up dinner... dark, i know] or can lean towards the horizon and possibility for a new fate.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2021
Gosh, so many people like this book and I just did not. I didn’t find anything particularly endearing about the story - two young fairies want to collect their first tooth. They have to convince their parents that they are up to the challenge and then they set off on their adventure. My daughter enjoyed it, it just wasn’t a favorite of mine to read.
Now, before you draw the conclusion that I’m just against tooth fairies, I‘ll share a tooth fairy book I absolutely adored: The Dinosaur Tooth Fairy. If you are into tooth fairies, this one is smile worthy.
Now, before you draw the conclusion that I’m just against tooth fairies, I‘ll share a tooth fairy book I absolutely adored: The Dinosaur Tooth Fairy. If you are into tooth fairies, this one is smile worthy.
January 24, 2024
I loved everything about this sweet book, but my favorite part has to be the depictions of the tooth fairy parents and their home. The dad doing the laundry and hanging it to dry over the fireplace while the mom takes a bath was especially appreciated, and a lovely example of a couple sharing household chores. (As it should be, even in Fairy Land!) I'll be looking for more of Bob Graham's books, am prepared to be delighted again & again.
November 12, 2023
داستانی تصویری دربارهٔ دو پری دندان که اولین مأموریت خود را انجام میدهند. این مسئله در فرهنگ ما جایی نداشت یعنی وقتی ما بچه بودیم اصلا نمیدانستیم پری دندان چیست ولی اخیرا با دیدن انیمیشنهای غربی برای بچهها چیز غریبی نیست و اگر بگویی پری دندان احتمالا بیشتر بچهها منظورتان را میفهمند. تصاویر کتاب مثل بقیه کتابهای باب گراهام پر از جزئیات و دیدنی است.
July 17, 2020
When April and Esme receive a call for their first tooth assignment Mom and Dad aren't sure they are ready. Will they get to pick up Daniel's tooth like Grandmother had asked or will they let the other tooth fairies handle it?
April 2, 2022
Sweet story about two young tooth fairies who set out on their first tooth mission. The sisters work together to get the tooth and replace it with a coin. They remember what their parents taught them and everything works. So much love in this family. The illustrations are delightful.
August 26, 2022
آپریل و آپریکا دو پریِ دندان، و خواهر و برادر هستند. برای اولین بار یک مامانبزرگ به آنها زنگ زده و میگوید برای بردن دندان نوهاش بیایند.
داستان واقعا شیرینی بود و تصاویرش من را به یاد کارتونهای شش سالگیم میانداخت؛ آن وقتی که هنوز به جادو و پریها باور داشتم.
داستان واقعا شیرینی بود و تصاویرش من را به یاد کارتونهای شش سالگیم میانداخت؛ آن وقتی که هنوز به جادو و پریها باور داشتم.
January 19, 2024
Um... So there are two girls who want to get their first teeth. As in their first teeth they take from children who lost teeth. And they hang them up on their houses. I was really grossed out by that.
books-i-have-read-to-eleanor
September 14, 2025I read it to her as she munched on her snack. She seemed to genuinely listen and when I asked her if she enjoyed the story she nodded enthusiastically. Doesn't know about tooth fairy yet though. Only her evil twin : teething fairy.
December 15, 2018
A single coin for a first tooth lost? That coin better be a ten piece.
October 8, 2021
Very charming story about two young tooth fairies who go about their first time collecting someone's tooth--even though their parents don't think they're ready yet.
October 6, 2022
Cute book about the tooth fairy!
March 8, 2023
ترجمه فارسی: دو پری دندان، آپریل و آپریکا
از نشر بازی و اندیشه
جذاب و بامزه با نقاشی های فوق العاده زیبا و موضوعی تازه و خلاقانه.
از نشر بازی و اندیشه
جذاب و بامزه با نقاشی های فوق العاده زیبا و موضوعی تازه و خلاقانه.
February 3, 2024
Very cute, and a very helpful introduction to the tooth fairy if you're a parent like me that forgets to prep your kid for stuff like that.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews