The Crocodile and the Dentist

Starred review from May 28, 2018
The phrase “two sides of the same coin” aptly describes this clever, skitlike story from Gomi (I Really Want to See You, Grandma). On the left side of every spread is a crocodile with a painful cavity who doesn’t want to see the dentist—but knows he has to. On the right side is a dentist who doesn’t want to treat the crocodile—but knows he has to. As the appointment proceeds, the dialogue and art offer a mirror image: “I’m scared,” says the queasy-looking crocodile sitting down in the chair; “I’m scared,” says the dentist, clutching his stomach in anticipation of working on this patient. But both sides bravely persist, and after a mutual “ouch!” and “whew” they part with a genial bow, waiting until they’re out of each other’s earshot to add, “I don’t want to see him again.” Gomi’s protagonists are remarkably expressive: the crocodile’s snaggletoothed fearfulness is especially endearing. Some grown-ups may be tempted to use this book to teach the concept of empathy, but only one moral seems to interest the whimsically pragmatic author: “So you must remember to brush your teeth!” Ages 3–5.

June 15, 2018
Crocodile has a toothache and goes to see the dentist, but each is afraid of the other.When Crocodile realizes his tooth hurts, he knows he has to go to the dentist, but he's afraid. The dentist knows he has to fix Crocodile's tooth, but he doesn't want to. They are both scared but choose to be brave and go on with the appointment. The dentist reaches into Crocodile's mouth and looks at the cavity. Crocodile accidentally bites down on the dentist's arm when he touches the sore tooth. (It's not much of a bite, as there is no evident injury.) They both decide to move forward and not get angry about being hurt. In the end, the tooth is fixed, and they are in perfect agreement that neither wants to see the other again--so both are determined that Crocodile "remember to brush [his] teeth!" Using the same words for both the doctor's and Crocodile's perspectives, Gomi shows how different people can experience the same emotions, and the characters' faces and body language emphasize those feelings. With a bold purple, teal, and brown color scheme, the illustrations are done in Gomi's trademark style. The dentist--the only human character--has dark tan skin and black hair.This fun (for readers) dental visit has underlying lessons of empathy, bravery, and good oral hygiene. (Picture book. 3-6)

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August 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 2-This crowd-pleaser from Gomi will have children and adults laughing out loud at the clever use of mirrored dialogue to convey two different points of view. The premise is simple and relatable: a crocodile dreads his dentist visit, and the dentist isn't exactly thrilled about working on such a dangerously toothy patient. This dynamic plays out entirely within the identical internal monologues of the two characters. Gomi is a master of showing rather than telling, leaving ample room for readers' interpretation as the crocodile and the dentist come face to face, with poses and facial expressions that echo each other. This slim volume is an effective springboard for assuaging children's anxiety about dentist visits, and also invites a broader conversation about recognizing emotions in others. Gomi's trademark watercolor artwork is bold, expressive, and colorful, and the text is straightforward and minimalist, conveying a great deal in just a few words and brush strokes. VERDICT A solid first purchase for most picture book collections.-Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA

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