I Lost My Tooth in Africa

Diakite, P. (2006). I Lost My Tooth In Africa. New York, NY: Scholastic.

Brief Annotation: Amina is on her way to Africa, and is about to lose her first tooth! Her father told her that if she loses a tooth in Africa and places it under a gourd, the African tooth fairy will give her a chicken. To her delight, she loses it one morning while brushing her teeth. As her father predicted, she finds a chicken and a rooster under the gourd at the end of the day. Amina takes good care of the chickens, and is rewarded with the suprise discovery of eggs one morning. Amina’s African vacation is ending soon. Will the eggs hatch before she leaves?

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Grade Level: K-2

Readers who will like this: Children who are about to lose their first tooth, children who are interested in stories about the traditions of other cultures, children who like animals, and children who like stories with an element of suspense.

Response/Rating (1-4): 4. This creative and uplifting story was written by the author when she was eight years old. The illustrations are bold and beautiful.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Have you lost a tooth? Did the Tooth Fairy pay you a visit?