Uncle Farley’s False Teeth

A zany young girl, Morgan, decides to steal her Uncle Farley’s false teeth that he pops out every day during his usual three-hour nap. She takes them down to the wharf where she shows them off to her friends. The teeth slip out of her hands and fall into the water where a fabulous fish with a great big tail and a white freckled fin was below the surface. It swims above water and that is when Morgan and her friends spot a giant smile with Uncle Farley’s false teeth on the fabulous fish! Each of Morgan’s friends devise ways that their parents can try to help get the false teeth back, but with no luck. Uncle Farley’s teeth were STILL in the fish’s mouth! It isn’t until Morgan’s final plea (just minutes before her uncle wakes up from his routine nap) that the fish finally spits out Uncle Farley’s false teeth. She races home to put them back where she found them and just in the nick of time.

Uncle Farley’s False Teeth is sure to get a laugh out of its audience. The eccentric and exuberant full-page images by Michael Martchenko instantly stand out as they are created in his signature style featured in his numerous children’s book collaborations with author Robert Munsch. Martchenko’s exaggerated animations jump off each page and bring the story to life.

The rhythmic text by Alice Walsh is lively and witty with many examples of alliteration and repetition. These elements, in combination with the early reading level text, make Uncle Farley’s False Teeth a story that could help beginning readers learn to read as they pick up on the word patterns within.

Walsh’s humorous story is creative and well-written. Uncle Farley’s False Teeth makes for a perfect light-hearted read-aloud in a home, classroom, or library setting. This story is one that young children will want to hear over and over again, especially if they have someone in their family who can relate to having false teeth like Uncle Farley. Fans of Robert Munsch will enjoy this similar-style story.