Unlimited Squirrels: I Lost My Tooth! by Mo Willems

Image courtesy of Taylor Worley

Taylor Worley is the Youth Services Librarian for Springfield Public Library in Oregon. She loves the challenge of finding truly wonderful early reader material for her patrons. She is just beginning terms on ALSC's Notable Children’s Digital Media committee and Oregon's Reader's Choice Award Committee. She also reviews for School Library Journal. She can be found reading, making, and exploring on Instagram and elsewhere @thatonelibrarian. 

Mo Willems is no stranger to the Geisel, having garnered wins in 2008 and 2009 and honors in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. While his tenure in the Geisel ranks is undeniably impressive, does his newest venture, Unlimited Squirrels: I Lost My Tooth!, live up to his legacy?

Unlimited Squirrels: 
I Lost My Tooth! 

by Mo Willems 

book cover

I Lost My Tooth weighs in at the maximum page count for a Geisel, and Willems utilizes every single one. The end papers depict the cast which includes Boom, Zowie, and Flappy Squirrels. We immediately break the fourth wall as the squirrels carry the book across the title page announcing, "This is a big book! It is full of … BIG FUN!" Next is the table of contents where readers learn the BIG Story is only part of this big book. There are Acorny-Jokes and facts, too. 

Then we have – brace yourselves – the EMOTE-ACORNS. Seven little acorns used to decipher the squirrels' vast array of emotions. This is hardly necessary as the illustrations are more than expressive enough on their own, but readers are likely to find this hook amusing.

The Big Story is about two-thirds of the book. The narrative is clear, engaging, and ridiculous. Zoom squirrel has lost a tooth. A BABY tooth. The other squirrels are positively distraught and won't stop until baby tooth is found. Emphasized words are bold or, if they are very important, bold, larger, and in all-caps. Speech bubbles alternate color to help distinguish among speakers. This is very useful, as the squirrels' somewhat similar appearances can be confusing at first glance. As with Elephant & Piggie, the entire narrative is told through character speech; there is no narrator or third-person observations. 

When the Big Story ends on page 58, the Acorny-Joke sections break up nonfiction interludes with Research Rodent and Quiz Squirrel. These sections are fun and readers will enjoy them, however, there is a marked difference in reading level between the facts and the primary story line. Also of note is how much smaller this factual text is when compared to the narrative. 

Image of squirrels vowing to find the lost tooth from Unlimited Squirrels: I Lost My Tooth! by Mo Willems

When considering I Lost My Tooth for the Geisel, there is little doubt that it "encourages and supports the beginning reader". The illustrations are effective and engaging, and it absolutely has the "page turning dynamic." Readers will love this book, and they will anxiously await Unlimited Squirrels' next adventure. However, there is a slight disconnect between the Big Story and the back sections. While there is ample white space during the narrative, the joke pages seem crowded and possibly overwhelming. The facts are presented in much smaller text, and with a broader vocabulary that the rest of the book, which may inspire frustration in some readers.

All things considered, is Unlimited Squirrels: I Lost My Tooth "distinguished" enough to add to Willems' collection of Geisel wins? I am sure it will get its time in the ring this year, and it is well deserving of that discussion, but we'll just have to wait and see if it rises to top.