Customer Reviews

George Washington's Teeth

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Here's the real truth on our first President's tooth! No, he didn't really have a set of wooden teeth. But, poor man, the Revolution wasn't the only battle he fought. We learn in this delightfully illustrated book that from the age of 24 he lost a tooth a year. Hence, by the time he reached the presidency there were only two teeth left. (Their whereabouts in his mouth seem to be unknown).

Based on historical records as well as Washington's letters and diaries this is a sprightly, fascinating account of the root of his problem (pun intended).

Youngsters will learn a bit of history as well as enjoy a rollicking good read. For instance, they'll learn about Washington crossing the Delaware, and that he then had only nine remaining teeth. He didn't have too many teeth to chatter during the frozen winter at Valley Forge as there were only seven left.

According to a letter Washington wrote he did at one time wear false teeth secured by wires hitched around his remaining teeth. His last set of dentures were made by a Dr. Greenwood, and carved from hippopotamus ivory.

This is a well researched book complete with excerpts from Washington's letters and diaries. Witty pastel illustrations enhance the text. For all ages.

- Gail Cooke

An interesting new perspective on George Washington. It makes him seem more human to children. Young children are intrigued to have the myth of wooden teeth squelched. Ther book provides a historical timeline in the back. This is a great book for children of ALL ages. Even I, an older child and teacher, learned some things. I had no idea our first president was so obsessed with his teeth and that he had such an active role in the solutions to his dental problems. Highly recommended.

After reviewing this book for a graduate Children's Literature course, we were surprised to see how much George Washington's teeth played a role in his day to day life. It was a comical rhyming story that would be appropriate for elementary students. As Kindergarten and First Grade teachers we would incorporate its theme into teaching dental health. Young children are often very excited about losing their baby teeth, however, this book would convince them to take very good care of their grown up teeth. The book could also be used in upper elementary classes to discuss myths, like George Washington's wooden teeth!

There are lots of ways of chronicling the change in the national temperament, and one of them is that when I was a kid it was the story of George Washington chopping down the cherry tree that was what stood out. However, the inquiring minds of the nation's youth today are now going to be more intrigued by the legend the first President had wooden teeth, which is precisely how Deborah Chandra and Madeleine Comora, aided and abetted by Brock Cole's pictures, manages to teach young readers a nice little lesson in the finer points of historiography.

Told in four line verse, "George Washington's Teeth" relates an imaginative set of encounters between General Washington and his dentist as the number of teeth in the mouth of the Father of Our Country decreases one by one over the years leading to Independence and the Presidency. Well, that is not entirely true since the authors have Washington losing two teeth the night be crossed the Delaware, but that left him with seven at that point in American history, which is a lucky number that fits the victory at Trenton. Eventually Washington is elected President, which is good, but has no teeth left, which is bad (especially when having your portrait painted). Fortunately, he comes up with a solution.

The first part of "George Washington's Teeth" is pretty whimsical, but then the last part of the book contains a time line of important events in George Washington's life from his own letters, diaries, and accounts. However, instead of dealing primarily with the highpoints of Washington's personal and political life, we learn about what historians have uncovered about his teeth: from having already lost two teeth by the time he was twenty two and the rest were all black and rotted, to eating pickled tripe because it does not hurt his teeth, and a letter requesting plaster of Paris to make some false teeth. These are the sort of bizarre historical details that can trick young readers into thinking history is fun.

There are even photographs of Washington's last sent of dentures. For the record, they were not wooden, but carved from hippopotamus ivory, the palate swaged from a sheet of gold, and springs made of coiled gold wire. Hopefully there are some other small nuggets of historical gold that Chandra and Comora, or like minded individuals, can turn to for books in the same spirit as this one.

We bought this book last year after visiting Mount Vernon. We had told our (four and five year old) children of George Washington and his teeth since they started regular tooth brushing. We used the story of how poor George lost all his teeth to motivate them to brush their teeth regularly. Needless to say, they both have good dental care habits and good teeth to go with them! This book has cute illustrations to go with the rhymes on each page and made the stories all the more real to our children. At the back of the book there is a wonderful timeline that chronicles the story of George Washington's life and how his teeth were a big part of it. The timeline is done in a manner that will make adults appreciate the story of George Washington's life in a new way.

This book is a wonderful addition to any collection of books! It rhymes and makes history fun for kids. The pictures are wonderful and work very well with the text. I have read this to several elementary classes, and all of the students have really enjoyed it. In the back of the book there is a time line of actual historical facts about George Washington's teeth. I would recommend this book to anyone!

Comora and Chandra have made a book to delight wordsmiths and history buffs alike. A verse narrative, each stanza informs by amusing. The great craft of the poem is never visible, but always in evidence -- none of the inane repetition that often informs such efforts is found here.
The whimsical illustrations are more than fine, and laid out to support and complement, rather than compete with the words.
A true delight for President's Day, and many others besides.
Bravi!

This is a wonderful book to share with kids and adults. I learned so many things about Washington from this book. The clever, rhyming verse recounts the lifelong problems George Washington had with his teeth. It is possible that chronic gum infections led to Washington's death.

The story is well researched and the humorous illustrations by Brock Cole lend a lightness to Washington's serious health condition. The end of the book has facts and information about Washington's life. There is also a great timeline.

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

This is a fun book written in a simple rhyming format that can be used as a diversion from regular history studies. There is not a lot in the book of real historical value, but there is a great timeline in the back outlining the lost teeth against actual historical events, as well as a picture of Washington's real false teeth. It could be used as an inviting introduction to a study of George Washington but also could be used to integrate social studies with topics such as dentistry and health.