Hello everyone! Today, we’re going to enjoy a story called “The Tooth,” written by Avi Slodovnik and illustrated by Manon Gauthier. Let’s dive into this fun and thoughtful tale!
Marissa loved candy a lot, but one morning, she woke up with a toothache! Instead of going to school, her mom took her to the dentist. Marissa didn’t go downtown often, where the tall buildings made big shadows on the streets. The sky was hard to see because of all the skyscrapers. Holding her mom’s hand, Marissa walked to the dentist’s office, passing people in long coats who were in a hurry.
While waiting at the corner for the light to change, Marissa saw something interesting. A man was sitting on a grate in the sidewalk with a shoebox in front of him. Marissa had never seen anyone like him before and wanted to look closer, but her mom held her hand tightly. As they crossed the street, Marissa glanced back at the man, who was quietly watching people walk by.
In the dentist’s office, Marissa and her mom checked in and waited. Marissa’s mom read a magazine, while Marissa looked out the window at the busy street. The man was still sitting there, and some people dropped coins into his shoebox. One person even stepped over him in a rush.
Finally, it was Marissa’s turn to see the dentist. She sat in the big chair and opened her mouth wide. The dentist found a small cavity and said, “The tooth will have to come out.” A few minutes later, Marissa’s tooth was out, and she wished she was at school instead.
“Here’s your tooth, Marissa,” the dentist said, putting it in a small orange envelope. “Make sure to put it under your pillow,” her mom added. “And remember to brush your teeth twice a day, especially after eating candy,” the dentist reminded her.
After leaving the office, Marissa asked her mom, “Is there really a tooth fairy?” Outside, the air was cool, and Marissa felt the spot where her tooth had been with her tongue. They crossed the street, and the man was still sitting there. Marissa wanted to get closer, but her mom held her hand tightly again.
Marissa gently pulled away and walked over to the shoebox. There wasn’t much money inside. She opened the orange envelope and let her tooth drop into the shoebox. “Put it under your pillow tonight,” she told the man, “and there will be money there tomorrow.” The man looked surprised but then smiled warmly and waved goodbye as Marissa and her mom walked away.
This story is a wonderful reminder of kindness and sharing. Marissa’s adventure started with a trip to the dentist and ended with a generous act towards someone in need. I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I did. Maybe you can talk to your teachers or parents about it and share what you liked the most!
Tooth Fairy Craft: Create your own tooth fairy envelope! Use colored paper, stickers, and markers to design a special envelope for your lost teeth. Think about what kind of designs the tooth fairy might like. Once you’re done, share your creation with a friend or family member and explain why you chose those designs.
Kindness Coins: Just like Marissa shared her tooth, think of ways you can share kindness with others. Create “kindness coins” using paper circles. On each coin, write or draw a kind act you can do for someone else, like helping a friend or sharing a toy. Try to complete one kind act each day and see how it makes you and others feel.
Observation Walk: Go on a walk with a parent or guardian and observe your surroundings, just like Marissa did. Look for interesting things you might not have noticed before, like a unique building or a friendly animal. Draw a picture or write a short story about what you saw and share it with your class or family.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hi everyone, welcome to Storyline Online, brought to you by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. I’m Annette Bening, and today I will be reading “The Tooth,” written by Avi Slodovnik and illustrated by Manon Gauthier.
Marissa’s love of candy finally caught up with her. That morning, she woke up with a toothache, and instead of taking her to school, her mother took her to the dentist. Marissa didn’t often go downtown, where tall buildings cast shadows across the streets. The sky, usually bright and blue, was barely visible between the rows of skyscrapers. Marissa and her mother walked hand-in-hand toward the dentist’s office, passing people in long coats who hurried in every direction.
When they stopped at the corner for the light to change, Marissa noticed something unusual. A man was sitting on a grate in the sidewalk with an open shoebox in front of him. Marissa had never seen anyone like him and wanted to take a closer look, but her mother held her hand tightly. As they crossed the street to the dentist’s building, Marissa looked back at the man, who sat quietly watching the people pass by.
In the dentist’s office, they checked in with the receptionist and waited in the waiting room. Marissa’s mother sat on the couch, flipping through a magazine, while Marissa looked out the window at the busy street below. The man was still sitting on the grate, and while most people walked by, a few dropped coins into his shoebox. One man even stepped over him in a hurry.
Finally, after a long wait, Marissa was called into the examination room. She sat in the big chair and opened her mouth wide. The dentist noticed a small cavity in her tooth. “That’s quite a cavity,” he said, “the tooth will have to come out.” A few minutes later, the dentist pulled out Marissa’s tooth. She wished she was in school.
“Here’s your tooth, Marissa,” said the dentist, placing it in a small orange envelope. “Make sure to put it under your pillow,” her mother added. “And remember to brush your teeth twice a day, especially after candy,” said the dentist.
After leaving the office, Marissa asked her mother, “Is there really a tooth fairy?” Outside, the air was cool, and Marissa felt the spot where her tooth had been with her tongue. They crossed the street, and the man was still sitting on the sidewalk. Marissa wanted to get closer, but her mother held her hand tightly again.
Marissa gently pulled away and approached the shoebox. There wasn’t much money inside. She opened the orange envelope and let her tooth drop into the shoebox. “Put it under your pillow tonight,” she told the man, “and there will be money there tomorrow.” The man looked surprised at first, then smiled warmly and waved goodbye as Marissa and her mother walked away.
I used to read books to my kids all the time. They’re older now, but I hope you have a chance to talk to your teachers or parents about this book. I think it’s a thoughtful story that starts with a trip to the dentist and ends with a little girl meeting a man in need. I hope you enjoyed it; I certainly did.
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This version maintains the essence of the story while ensuring it is appropriate for all audiences.
