Timothy tiger's terrible toothache

Title: Timothy Tiger's Terrible Toothache Author: Jan Wahl Illustrator: Lisa McCue Karsten Publisher: New York : Golden Book ; Racine, Wisconsin. : Western Publishing Co., Date Published: 1988. Series: A Little Golden book Edition/Format: Book : Fiction Audience: I recommend it for children 18 months and older. Language: English Place Availability: Kingston & St. Andrew Parish Library 2 Tom Redcam Drive P.O. Box 589 Kingston 3 Tel: (876) 926-3315 - 6 / 8 Fax: (876) 968-3368 Email: ksapl@hotmail.com Website: http://www.jls.gov.jm/Parish%20Libraries/Kingston/ Summary: Timothy Tiger wakes up with a toothache. His various family members all seek to try strategies to ease the pain. However, it is until he visits the dentist before the pain can go away. Commentary: This book helps children to overcome their fears of dentist appointments. Our experience: This book was a hit with my daughter (1 yr and 7 mths). It contained two major experiences that she could relate to, despite the fact that the characters were Tigers. These two experiences of which my daughter could identify with in the book were:

1. Timothy tiger's toothache experience - She could relate to having chipped her teeth as well as having a burst lip, both injuries sustained from falling accidents.
2. Grandmother coming by to visit and taking Timothy Tiger out for a ride in her car. My daughter can relate to this because her grandmother does that sometimes.

When I read about the tooth ache and dramatized the tooth hurting experience, my daughter moaned, groaned and grimaced. It was as if she had been transported into Tim's world and empathised with Tim throughout the story. The dentist experience was still foreign to her though. She has only been to the dentist once, and may not have remembered that encounter with the dental hygienist, her tools and equipment. However, my daughter on hearing about Grandma, immediately connect with the Grandmother Tiger character. She points to the character and says "Grandma, Grandma".