WIBBLE WOBBLE

With unadorned yet comically lurid prose, British author Moss seems to channel the six-year-old mindset with this tooth saga. At first, nothing in the mouth of hero William wants to budge: his "teeth seemed stuck, superglued to his gums." The author never minces words, and the result is gross, hilarious and true-to-life. She fearlessly describes "loose tooth stories" starring teeth that twist "round and round," fall into toilets and even get stuck up noses. Finally, William tells his teacher, "My tooth moved! I felt it!" Debut artist Mockler's full-bleed and panel illustrations capture the up-for-grabs ambience of an elementary school classroom. At the same time, her childlike cartoon style tempers the obsessiveness of the hero, and insures that the goings-on stay on the sunny side—even as the drama (which includes an accidental discarding of William's finally detached tooth) unfolds. Ages 3-7. (Sept.)