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What-the-Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy | 
| Author: Gregory Maguire
Publisher: Candlewick
Category: Book
List Price: $8.99
Buy New: $3.83
You Save: $5.16 (57%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 154923
Media: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 304
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 6.2 x 0.8
ISBN: 0763641472
EAN: 9780763641474
ASIN: 0763641472
Publication Date: August 26, 2008
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Product Description
bFrom the author of the best-selling WICKED, a transporting tale-within-a-tale about the strange world of skibbereen #8212; aka tooth fairies #8212; and the universal need to believe./bbrbrA terrible storm is raging, and ten-year-old Dinah is huddled by candlelight with her brother, sister, and cousin Gage, who is telling a very unusual tale. It#8217;s the story of What-the-Dickens, a newly hatched orphan creature who finds he has an attraction to teeth, a crush on a cat named McCavity, and a penchant for getting into trouble. One day he happens upon a feisty girl skibberee who is working as an Agent of Change #8212; trading coins for teeth #8212; and learns that there is a dutiful tribe of skibbereen (call them tooth fairies) to which he hopes to belong. As his tale of discovery unfolds, however, both What-the- Dickens and Dinah come to see that the world is both richer and less sure than they ever imagined.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...
 Not your grandma's tooth fairy December 4, 2008
First, let me re-acknowledge that Maguire is not for everyone. This book continues that trend.br /br /The overall concept sounds fairly airy and fun but at its heart, it's a lot darker than you might imagine.br /br /There are two story threads going on throughout the novel and each one is very intriguing. The threads sometimes intertwine and even when they don't directly touch, you find yourself wondering about the balance between the two.br /br /The story arc of the fairy creatures is highly imaginative and really a lot of fun. The reader is placed directly alongside other characters in the novel who are "hearing" the fairy tale at the same time that we're reading it. This juxtaposition of character and reader truly helps bring the reader into the second story arc and relate to the turmoil going on.br /br /The second story arc, that of the children in the midst of a violent storm, is not entirely spelled out and leaves a lot to the reader's insight and imagination. I really enjoyed this aspect of the novel...the fact that Maguire trusts his readers to be smart enough to read between the line and to develop the characters and situations of the "real world" rather than rely on him to spell out every little detail.br /br /The themes of hope, imagination and a world spoiled by adult influence are all presented very well. But it never feels like Maguire is preaching to us or standing on a soap box condemning the adults and unimaginative pessimists of the world. Rather, he is exploring the hopes and dreams of children even within bleak circumstances.br /br /This isn't a fairy tale you should read when you're looking for a pick-me-up, but it's definitely something I'd recommend to those looking for a thought provoking story and entertaining writing.
Better Than Terrible November 3, 2008
The book cover gives us the story's setting: it's a wild, stormy night. The house perched precariously on the valley's edge shelters three young children and their 20-something cousin. The children's parents have left under somewhat mysterious circumstances, the entire area has evacuated, the power is out, there is no food. How to pass the time, calm the nerves, weather the storm? The cousin begins a story. HIS story, apparently, and the story of What-the-Dickens.br /br /Turns out What-the-Dickens is a tooth fairy - orphaned and born in a tuna can, he doesn't know what he really is until he stumbles upon another fairy at work (Pepper). He is then introduced to the fairy world, its rules and customs and beliefs. He tries to figure out how and where he fits in, while growing closer and more loyal to Pepper. The story is told in fits and starts as we also learn about the condition of the children and the status of the storm.br /br /I think What-the Dickens can be read two ways: as a straight-across fairy tale aimed at mainly 5th-8th graders. Or it can be read with more adult undertones of religious and political themes. There is some discussion of faith, purpose, and sacrifice. And war, aggression, and territory. I wouldn't say there is enough fodder for philosophical debates or personal paradigm shifts, but there is a little meat to gnaw off the bone.br /br /Maguire's talent with words does not disappoint, and the character of What-the-Dickens is a wonderfully complicated little skibbereen (the technical term for "tooth fairy"). He is at times simple, and yet honest and full of heart. If I'm being honest, I'll have to say that I cared more about the fate of the little sprite than I did about those stuck in the storm.
 Bloated narrative with unsympathetic characters reads like a chore October 24, 2008
I am a fan of Maguire's writing, both his adult and children's fiction. His re-imagined fairy tales like "Wicked" and "Mirror, Mirror" are clever, well-crafted and entertaining. I also enjoyed his "Hamlet Chronicles" which I found to be witty and fun (particularly as the series progressed). But "What-the-Dickens", though displaying his wonderful artistry with words, was a real chore for me to get through.br /br /Concisely, we have a story within a story. A few children are stranded at home looked after by their young adult cousin in the midst of a terrible storm. Their cousin seeks to distract them by telling the story of a fairy-like people called skibbereen who after arriving to our world became the tooth-fairy. He focuses on a young skibberee named What-the-Dickens whose experiences seem uniquely well-suited to drum some lessons into the lives of the real-life youngsters.br /br /Neither the real-life characters nor the fairy tale characters impressed me as sympathetic. For the youngsters caught in the storm, their plight does not seem real. We are told about the terrible storm and danger but it never feels real. Additionally, they are perceived as being in their predicament in part because they have tried to separate from the world for religious reasons. Their parents have chosen for them a life eschewing the world and its trappings. This is not an overly-sympathetic world view to which one easily relates. Additionally, this then makes the story of the skibbereen who are also wary of outsiders and foreign world views a problematic story. It appears the cousin is blatantly contradicting the will of the children's parents. Maybe it is for their own good, but it feels uncomfortable and underhanded nonetheless.br /br /As for the fairy tale creatures, the story is formulaic and cliched. What-the-Dickens, good-hearted though naive, becomes our hero who lacks the cynicism of the tribe he encounters. The tribe is generally just mean and set in its ways and cannot hear reason ("Math is a myth"; "Ask no questions"). One of the tribe's own, jaded and adventurous, wants to rise above her simple station and is something of an outcast. She fortuitously meets our hero and they are able to help each other, though not without their own conflict.br /br /The story within a story construct seemed contrived. It was not developed to good effect making one wonder why he didn't just write about the skibbereen without the real world intrusion. The cousin even argues against the reality of the story he just told when one of the children wants to believe it to be true. What is the point of that? Just to highlight that stories true or false can be powerful and of great use or help to people?br /br /The narrative, particularly the first 200 pages, was bloated. Maguire usually is adept at wit and word-play, but he did not come across very clever this go round. He writes a good description, but it grew very tiresome and seemed forced early on. Fortunately he did bring some things full circle and tied some of the early narrative in rather well toward the end of the book.br /br /All in all, the story did not feel like one burning to be told (from inspiration). It felt like one that "had" to be told (from duty). It read like a chore. Perhaps this book may uniquely appeal to youth. But the best children's lit, in my opinion, transcends any such boundary. Maguire is very talented (which is in evidence here as well), but this just isn't a compelling story.
 More Power to the Skibereen! October 17, 2008
What an absolutely fun story! I didn't want to put it down. Gregory Maguire has kept that imagination we all hope our children get, have, use, and with this book has given us a view into the secret world of the tooth fairies. They, the tooth fairies - or skibereen, have quite an operation. Do read it for your general escapist, frivolous reading pleasure - you won't regret it.
 Excellance! August 21, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I absolutely love this book. It was a quick read, it was interesting, and it was fun! Maguire left it open-ended, and it enables you to imagine your own result, or to hope for a second book! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good twisted fairy tale!
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