Module 11: George Washington's Teeth

• Book Cover Image:

• Book Summary: Written in rollicking rhyme, this story dispels the myth that George Washington had a set of wooden teeth. From the time Washington was twenty-four years old, he started losing his teeth at an average of one a year. Based on actual letters and Washington's diaries, including an annotated timeline, readers learn the measures he took to hide his rotting teeth and the relentless pain he endured. 

• APA Reference of Book: Chandra, D., & Comora, M. (2003). George Washington's teeth.  New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux. 

• Impressions: This book was entertaining from beginning to end. What a delightful way to learn historical facts. With the author's use of rhyming verse, the reader is captivated by the story of what initially sounds like an uninteresting theme. This book would be great as a read-aloud for younger readers and older readers can use the annotated timeline in the back for research purposes. While informational books are not traditionally used for pleasure reading (Tunnell, Jacobs, Young, & Bryan, 2012), this book truly is a pleasure. As a picture book, the watercolor illustrations add humor to the story all the while giving historical depictions of  several events during the Revolutionary War. In an otherwise "boring", unappealing genre, the author's of this story hit a home-run with their creation. 

• Professional Review: Now It Can Be Told: that severe, square-jawed look that the Father of Our Country flashes in his portraits reveals not only strength of character, but also his struggle to hide the fact that he was nearly (entirely, later in life) toothless by keeping a succession of spring-loaded false teeth in place. Drawing information from Washington’s own writings, the authors deliver a double account of his dental tribulations: first in sprightly rhyme—Martha “fed him mush and pickled tripe, / But when guests came to dine, / He sneaked one of his favorite nuts. / Then he had only nine”—followed by a detailed, annotated timeline. Cole’s (Larky Mavis, 2001, etc.) freely drawn, rumpled-looking watercolors document the countdown as well, with scenes of the unhappy statesman at war and at home, surrounded by family, attendants (including dark-skinned ones), and would-be dentists, all in authentic 18th-century dress. Contrary to popular belief, Washington’s false teeth were made not of wood, but of real teeth and hippo ivory; a photo of his last set closes this breezy, sympathetic, carefully-researched vignette on a note that will have readers feeling the great man’s pain—and never looking at his painted visage the same way again. (source notes) (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)

(2002) [Review of the book George Washington's teeth, by D. Chandra & M. Comora]. Kirkus review. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/deborah-chandra/george-washingtons-teeth/.

• Library Use: Use the story with elementary aged students to introduce a lesson on non-fiction versus fiction. Make one list of information students have heard about George Washington. Have them do some quick research and then using a two column chart, divide the list into two categories, writing the non-fiction information on one side and the fiction statements on the other.

Reference: 

Tunnell, M.O., Jacobs, J.S., Young, T. A., & Bryan, G.W. (2012). Children's literature, briefly (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.