Review by Booklist Review
Ages 4-7. In this sequel to Doctor De Soto, the dentist mouse and his devoted wife travel to Africa, answering a desperate plea from an elephant with a rotten tooth. However, when the job's half done, a vengeful rhesus monkey (who has emigrated from India) kidnaps the doctor and leaves him caged, without food or water. After five days, Doctor De Soto rallies his failing strength to bend the bars and escape; he fractures his foot and is finally rescued by a search party. The De Sotos vow to use their handsome reward to travel and see other parts of the world. Here the story ends, though the path to more sequels is plainly in sight. As always, Steig's language is rich and precise, and his ink-and-watercolor artwork has the same comic appeal as the previous book's. However, the story lacks the unity, dramatic focus, and sense of justice that made the first De Soto story a classic. Some details, such as the monkey's origins, seem extraneous, while others, such as the dentist's ability to escape in his weakened state, call for a mighty suspension of disbelief. One plot, about needing material for the tooth cap, starts out strong then trails off aimlessly. De Soto fans will undoubtedly want to have a look at his latest exploits, though this sequel's disappointing. (Reviewed July 1992)0062050028Carolyn Phelan
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Articulating the affection of a multitude of fans--``Dr. Bernard De Soto was such a one-in-a-million, humdinger of a dentist that the whole world knew about him''--Steig reintroduces the debonair mouse-dentist and his beloved wife/assistant, Deborah. The dental dilemma of an elephant named Mudambo lead the duo on a pain relief mission to West Africa. No sooner are they ashore than Dr. De Soto is kidnapped by ``a certain rhesus monkey, Honkitonk by name,'' sworn enemy of Mudambo--who considers his foe ``an ill-bred pachyderm with a preposterous schnozzola.'' It's all here: the exuberant, Steigian phrases that somersault off the tongue, the nimble humor, the unflinching drama. Unfortunately, the rather complex plot doesn't utilize the dentist's by-now-legendary cunning for its resolution; it does, however, showcase the equally skilled, ever-faithful Deborah. Creatures of every stripe and feather populate this unique African jungle, evoking images and characters from previous works. Yet the vibrant, colorful illustrations exude a freshness and pizzazz that will leave readers wondering where the next world-class toothache will strike. Ages 3-up. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2 --A telegram from an elephant desperately in need of dental attention is the impetus for Dr. and Mrs. De Soto's journey to Africa. But not all is smooth sailing for the couple, as a rhesus monkey bears a grudge against the elephant for a previous insult, and kidnaps the diminutive dentist as revenge. There are some situations here that are ripe for Steig's standard brand of humor, but the text is missing his inventive, playful language and his subtle word choices. It's a bland telling, with some of the lines more like captions than integrated storytelling. The illustrations are deftly drawn and nicely composed, with the agonized patient stealing the show. Steig takes full advantage of the size disparity between the grandiose elephants and their furnishings and the miniscule mice, and gets in some amusing touches. However, the colors seem too pale and drab for the steamy, sunny climate, and the adventure is too mild to warrant repeated readings.-- Trev Jones, School Library Journal (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
When the famous mouse dentist is summoned to Africa to relieve the suffering of an elephant named Mudambo, he is kidnapped by a rhesus monkey Mudambo has insulted. Fortunately, Dr. De Soto is rescued, his wife completes the reconstruction of the elephant's molar, and, with ten thousand gold walulus in payment, the pair contemplate their next adventure. Steig's watercolors are as beguiling as ever in this sequel to 'Doctor De Soto' (Farrar). From HORN BOOK 1992, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Mudambo, an elephant, has a terrible toothache; all expenses will be paid if the De Sotos will come. Despite their size difference, Mudambo and his wife prove congenial hosts, and the De Sotos bed down for the night on Mrs. Mudambo's pincushion, planning to continue work on the offending tooth in the morning, except that, unfortunately, Honkitonk--a disgruntled monkey- -kidnaps the good dentist at midnight. After a search through the jungle, and the intrepid mouse's escape with minor injuries, the dental work is completed--only this time Mrs. De Soto crafts the repairs, while the doctor directs from his wheelchair. Steig's fresh, humorous turns of phrase, his amiable characterizations, and his gentle colors are as beguiling and ingenuous as ever. The last page hints that the mice will continue to explore ``our beautiful planet.'' (Picture book. 3+)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
