Review by Booklist Review
Ages 6-8. Lighthearted cartoon drawings adroitly display Steig's clever story of how a mouse dentist gets the best of the fox who has come to him for care.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In this captivating story of a mouse dentist, Steig sets his stage according to the ludicrous logic of size discrepancy that intrigues children: to treat large animals (such as the pig shown), Dr. De Sore stands on a ladder; and for extra-large animals (a donkey is pictured), he is hoisted up on a pulley contraption by his wife/assistant. Then he gets right into his patients' mouths, ""wearing rubbers to keep his feet dry."" Understandably, Dr. De Soto refuses to treat animals dangerous to mice--not even ""the most timid-looking cat."" But one day when a well-dressed fox comes pleading with him to ease his pain, the De Sotos relent. And as the dentist works inside the fox's mouth, the patient goes from a lip-smacking dream under gas (""How I love them raw, with just a pinch of salt, and a dry white wine""). . . to wondering, after the first visit, ""if it would be shabby of him to eat the De Sotos when the job was done"" . . . to ""I really shouldn't eat them. On the other hand, how can I resist?"". . . to ""definitely"" making up his mind to eat them. But the De Sores, though compassionate, are no fools, and so they outfox the fox--coating his teeth with a final preventive treatment that is really glue. And so, with his jaw stuck shut (for just a day or two, the dentist assures him), the defeated fox stumbles down the stairs--which Steig, as a parting reference to the arrangements set forth at the beginning, has divided into the regular flight the fox is using and a narrower one of smaller steps. Simple but sly, a mischievously imaginative rendition of the classic theme. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
