Zack Files 05: Dr. Jekyll, Orthodontist (Paperback)

by Dan Greenburg (Author), Jack E. Davis (Author) "My name is Zack. I'm a pretty normal kid..." (more)
Key Phrases: more crooked, Miracle Mouthwash

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-4?Zack is back! And, weird things are still happening to him. He goes to a new orthodontist, Dr. Jekyll, who insists that he drink rather then swish the "Miracle Mouthwash." As his teeth grow more crooked, Zack begins to think that the mouthwash might be the problem. Sneaking into the orthodontist's back room, he discovers that the dentist is experimenting with this potion on beavers. All ends well with this advice to readers, "I never never drink mouthwash at the dentist's office. I don't think you should, either." In I'm Out of My Body, Zack and a friend experiment with astral travel following the directions in an old book. After several adventures, the boys realize that they forgot to read the directions for returning to their bodies. In a trite ending, Zack's father picks up the book and puts it down open to the needed page. The stylized, pen-and-ink illustrations are numerous but not particularly appealing, with characters' heads and features sometimes out of proportion to the other objects in the picture. However, the simple sentence structure and believable dialogue make for fast reads. Greenburg's sense of humor and zingy one-liners add a humorous touch. Zack and other characters are given life through dialogue and description. Plot development is handled in short, choppy chapters but this is in keeping with the mood and tone of the books. Fans of series books are certain to identify with Zack and enjoy these strange adventures.?Molly S. Kinney, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
Zack isn't thrilled about having to get a tooth pulled, but a trip to the orthodontist proves a lot hairier than he ever expected. Nice old Dr. Silver has been replaced by the fang-toothed Dr. Jekyll, a mouthwash-guzzling mad scientist whose secret experiments have gone ker-plewy.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap (January 13, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0448413388
• ISBN-13: 978-0448413389
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #591,981 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dr. Jekyll, Orthodontist (Zack Files), March 13, 2001

By A Customer

I liked this book because it was cool and interesting. It made me want to read the book. It was about Zack having crooked teeth.He had a new orthodontist.Then he saw him get really wild.How he got him back to normal was he got this mouthwash that helped him get better.Then one night him and his dad went to the orthodontist office....

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not enough bite, May 27, 2002

By	Michael J. Mazza (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

"Dr. Jekyll, Orthodontist," by Dan Greenburg, is one of the "Zack Files" series of short novels for young adults. The book is illustrated by Jack E. Davis. In this installment, schoolboy Zack has an appointment with his new orthodontist, Dr. Sheldon Jekyll. Zack is a little spooked because the doctor has the same last name as a character in a famous horror story. And when Zack goes under the laughing gas, strange things start to happen. Is it only a gas-induced hallucination, or is Dr. Jekyll hiding a horrific secret?

"Dr. Jekyll" has its share of humor and chills, but overall I did not find it to be one of the stronger books in the series. Sheldon Jekyll just didn't have as much "bite" (sorry about the pun!) as some of the many other memorable characters in the series. Still, recommended for "Zack" fans.

3.0 out of 5 stars Hard to get beavers with straight teeth?, June 7, 2009

By	R. Bagula "Roger L. Bagula" (Lakeside, Ca United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Drinking mouth wash to straighten teeth seems a little far fetched
even for kid's sci fi?
That the orthodontist of this invention got "hooked" on it...
It got a three star because of the picture of the beavers in the back room.
Back room beavers seems like a name for gangsters or bouncers maybe,
not experimental animals.
There is some fun and humor here.