Preschool Book Review: Big Shark's Lost Tooth

Reading picture books together is one of the most magical ways to bond with your little one while building their love of stories. "Big Shark's Lost Tooth" is a delightful tale that combines underwater adventure with a relatable childhood milestone—perfect for sparking conversations about growing up and losing baby teeth.

What You'll Need

• A copy of "Big Shark's Lost Tooth" (from your library or home collection)
• A cozy reading spot (carpet, couch, or bean bag)
• A notebook or paper for drawing
• Colored pencils or crayons
• Optional: a small container to collect "lost teeth" (craft supplies)

How to Do It

1. Set the scene — Find a quiet, comfortable spot where you and your child won't be interrupted. Let them help arrange pillows or blankets to make a special reading nook.

2. Introduce the story — Show your child the cover and ask questions like "What do you notice about the shark? Do you think sharks lose teeth like we do?" This builds excitement and predicts what's coming.

3. Read expressively — Use different voices for characters, pause at key moments, and let your child chime in with sound effects or predictions. Slow down during emotional parts so they can absorb the message.

4. Pause for connection — When the story mentions teeth or growing up, ask your child about their own experiences. "Have you lost any teeth? How did it feel?"

5. Explore the illustrations together — Go back through the pages and talk about the pictures. Ask what the shark is feeling in each scene and why colors or details might matter.

6. Extend the learning — After finishing, invite your child to draw their own picture of Big Shark or create an underwater scene inspired by the story.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

Emotional Understanding — Children learn to recognize and name feelings like worry, excitement, and pride through the shark's journey.

Vocabulary Growth — New words like "wiggle," "bubble," and "ocean" become part of their expanding language toolkit.

Listening and Comprehension — Following a multi-scene story helps develop focus and the ability to understand cause and effect.

Fine Motor Skills — Drawing or creating art inspired by the book strengthens hand muscles and coordination.

Social Connection — Sharing a book creates a bonding moment and opens doors for conversations about big feelings.

Tips & Variations

• For younger toddlers: Focus on the pictures and keep explanations simple. Repeat the story multiple times—repetition builds comfort and understanding.
• For older preschoolers: Ask deeper questions like "Why was Big Shark scared?" and encourage them to act out the story with stuffed animals or toys.
• Tooth milestone tie-in: If your child is losing teeth, this book validates their experience and makes the process feel like a normal, celebrated part of growing up.

My Two Cents

This book beautifully normalizes a universal childhood experience while telling an engaging, heartwarming story. I love how it frames losing teeth not as something scary, but as an adventure—something your little one can feel brave and proud about. Revisit it whenever your child needs reassurance about growing up.

Questions to Ask Your Child

Use these open-ended prompts to extend the learning during or after the activity:

• "What was the most interesting thing you learned today?"
• "Can you explain this to a stuffed animal as if they've never heard of it?"
• "What part do you want to practice more?"
• "How is this connected to something you already know?"
• "What would you want to learn more about?"
• "If you were the teacher, what would you tell the class about this?"

There are no right or wrong answers to any of these questions. The goal is to keep the conversation going, model curious thinking, and give your child practice putting their experience into words.

Making It a Learning Moment

Learning happens best when children feel safe enough to be wrong. Create a low-stakes environment where mistakes are celebrated as information ("Oh, that didn't work — now we know something new!") rather than failures. Research on early childhood development consistently shows that the single strongest predictor of academic success in elementary school is not early reading or math skills — it's executive function: the ability to focus, plan, and manage emotions. Almost every learning activity for preschoolers builds executive function when approached with patience and gentle challenge.

Adapting for Different Ages

Ages 2–3: Keep it simple. Use fewer materials, shorter sessions (10–15 minutes), and more adult scaffolding. The goal is exploration and enjoyment, not mastery.

Ages 4–5: Add complexity and choice. Let the child make more decisions, introduce mild challenge, and encourage them to evaluate what worked and what they'd change next time.

Mixed ages: Pair older and younger children intentionally. Older children build confidence and reinforce their own learning by helping; younger children get engagement and language modeling from a near-peer.