George Washington's Teeth

This was an interesting book. I knew George Washington has wooden teeth but I had no idea he had such bad teeth from an early age. I didn’t know either that he multiple sets of fake teeth over the years and they were all quite painful for him to wear. Some even pulled out good teeth left in his mouth. Horrible. He suffered from dental abscesses all his life also. I read this book together with my son and we were both astonished to learn something new about our first president. My son had to do a biobottle project on George Washington, he made him out of paper maiche and a two liter bottle. It was pretty cool. We used this book as a reference when we made his teeth together.

Cleverly written book about George Washington's teeth with historical information interjected throughout. Students will appreciate this as a read aloud as the story has a rhythm about it.

In my opinion this was a fun book to read. I liked it for a three reasons, the illustrations, the plot and the language. The illustrations in the book enhanced the story and fit what was in the written text. The illustrations in the book are kind of a cartoon drawings based on historically events, there are even real life photos in the book as well! It is important that the illustrations in the book match what is going on and the illustrations in this story definitely do! The plot of the story was very organized and suspenseful. The book is about our first president George Washington and his life while also telling the tale of his loosing teeth. Each page there was a different fact about George and a story of how he lost one of his show more teeth. Some during battle, some while eating, but each page something new and unexpected ! Lastly the language in the book was very descriptive and told in rhyme, making it exciting to read. It was also clearly written. Often times rhyme can be confusing but there was not one part of the story that I did not understand. What made this story so exciting was the fact that it had many facts mixed in it throughout, making it a biography but also kind of a historical text. I would recommend this book to all because it is informational, while also fun and silly. show less

Summary:

Based off of letters, diaries, and other historical records, this funny tale describes George Washington's struggle with his teeth while also retelling the events in his life. He had suffered from toothaches during his early years of life, and as he began losing his rotten teeth, he feared that the British would laugh at him. Throughout his life, he had his dentist secretly pull his rotten teeth. Although, by the time he was in his forties and elected President, he only had two teeth left. George Washington finally felt comfortable to smile when his dentist made him a fake set of teeth. The story ends with George Washington attending a ball with his friends, where they dance happily together.

Comments (opinions/argument):

This show more story was a really funny biography of George Washington. I really like how the author turned this short biography about George Washington into a rhyming and almost poetry type book. Although the story is about George Washington and his struggle with his teeth, it also tells about all of the important events throughout his life and presidency. It’s really fun and has a goofy portrayal of George Washington, but also teaches children about his importance and history in America. I also like how the book incorporates a timeline of important events in the back to teach children more about his life. It also incorporates real pictures of him at different ages during his lifetime. I think this is a great example of a biography for young children who are just starting to learn about history of the US. show less

"George Washington's Teeth" is a humorous book that is based on Washington's own diaries and letters. The story tells the embarrassment and fear Washington had as he slowly was losing his teeth during the time of war. It is an entertaining and interesting story to read, especially since it is written in rhyme. The illustrations are colorful and old fashioned, which fits the time period the story was taken place in perfectly. This story introduces our first president to children while telling his story in an enjoyable way. At the end of the book, there is a timeline of George Washington's life that also quotes letters and diary entries he has written about his teeth. Overall, adorable story that is educational at the same time.

I LOVED THIS! The book rhymes, which is really so fun for kids because it gives it a kind of tune or melody. I loved that the book counted down as he lost teeth, kind of dramatizing the situation even more (if at all possible). It was organized so well and even included a timeline at the back of the book for more information!

This whimsical story about George Washington centers around his teeth. Set against the backdrop of the American Revolution, the story, which is written in rhyming abab couplets, tells of how throughout the war George Washington was plagued by his rotting teeth. The book ends with him getting a set of dentures made of ivory. Although I enjoyed the story very much, the best part of the book came at the end with excerpts from Washington's personal letters and diaries which gave detailed information about how terrible his tooth troubles were. This allows for history to come alive, allowing children to see that these figures from history were humans with problems similar to things they have seen in their own lives.