Buck’s Tooth

Beavers have big teeth—this isn’t news—but unlike his kin, Buck has just a single, giant tooth, shoved to one side of his mouth like a stray ceramic tile. Buck hates his tooth, and he is certain that it will keep him from success at the upcoming Beaverton Talent Show. Over six brief chapters, which unfold mostly through dialogue balloons and Kredensor’s jittery cartoons, Buck tries to extract the tooth and discover his hidden talent (“It might be that it’s right under your nose,” says his bluebird friend Pearl, with more than a little irony). While it’s somewhat disappointing that the talent Buck eventually uncovers is the exact one he was hoping to avoid—it involves following in the footsteps (bite marks?) of his Uncle Henry, Buck’s dental twin—the story is an enjoyable bridge between picture books and longer fare. Ages 6–9. Agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (May)