The Case of the Missing Tooth Fairy (Joleen Michellie)

Joleen Michellie, founder of the independent publisher Jobooks, has penned a new novelette for grade schoolers, The Case of the Missing Tooth Fairy, that harkens back to the quieter 1990s Apple paperbacks. Don't expect any Encyclopedia Brown-type sleuthing, and no Tinkerbells zip about this cozy suburb. The magic of the story is in its details, and the mystery is one all children must eventually face.

Annabelle MacShannon has lost a tooth. She's excited to trade with the tooth fairy, but she forgets to place the tooth under her pillow that night. Then, the next two nights, it appears the tooth fairy decides not to return, tooth or no tooth. Is there any righting the situation? Does the tooth fairy even exist?

This very short book packs a lot of heart. Annabelle's mother negotiates the girl taking a quick shower instead of a fun bath. Kids at school debate (and tease each other about) tooth-fairy lore. The father shares funny stories at dinnertime. The whole family pitches in for a church play. I especially like the grandmother's explanation to Annabelle and her sister as to how tooth fairies and wishing wells operate interdependently. It's too clever and cute to spoil.

The Case of the Missing Tooth Fairy is pleasant and warmly detailed, short enough to keep even a young reader's attention (I read it aloud to my three-year-old and he ate up every word) but just long enough to feel real. It is a wholesome and lovely portrait of a small family in a tight suburban community. I hope the book is only the first in a series—I'd very much enjoy visiting the MacShannons again soon.