Just Going to the Dentist
Little Critter narrates the waiting room, X-rays, cleaning and cavity treatment from a child's viewpoint, including fear before discovering what each step involves.
Just Going to the Dentist by Mercer Mayer is estimated to take about 5.5 minutes to read aloud (407 words, 1 sentence a spread). Best for ages 2-5.
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- Estimated read-aloud time
- about 5.5 minutesEstimated read-aloud time
- Words
- 407Word count
- Sentences per spread
- 1Text density
- Re-read tolerance
- 3/5holds up
- Vocabulary level
- 2/5everyday words
- Best for
- Ages 2-5Age range
Our review
The first-person account preserves small indignities and uncertainties instead of describing dentistry only from an adult's reassuring distance. X-rays and cleaning establish routine care before the cavity adds drilling and repair, so the title covers more than its casual 'just' suggests.
The Berenstain Bears version lets Sister observe Brother before taking the chair herself. Just Going to the Dentist is more direct for one anxious child, but its filling should be previewed carefully: useful when treatment is expected, potentially misleading when the appointment is only an exam.
Before you buy it
A filling occurs in the same visit, so the book may overpredict treatment for a simple checkup. The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist spreads attention across two siblings and a loose tooth.
Themes
- dentists
- teeth
- first visits
- humour
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