Demon Dentist

Lots of gory scenes, some of them illustrated: Kids who tuck a tooth under the pillow wake to find nasty surprises such as a badger's paw, centipedes, or a bat's wing -- still flapping. Recounts bloody death of town's previous dentist; includes two prolonged and uncomfortable tooth-pulling scenes and one brutal dental visit in which a child has every single tooth extracted, and describes a ghoulishly decorated witch's lair. Children are threatened and repeatedly in peril. A boy's mother died in childbirth, and his father is dying from a lung ailment. A main character dies a hero.

Plenty of potty humor and occasional coarse language such as "old fart" and "hell."

Parents need to know that Demon Dentist is a devilishly grisly fantasy that features two terrifying dentists. (Children who are already skittish about dental exams should skip this one.) English author (and actor) David Walliams relishes the over-the-top, grisly embellishments: rusty and savage dental tools, a cat that licks blood off freshly pulled teeth, a freshly plucked pig's eyeball, still twitching. There are some sad undercurrents -- Alfie and his dying father are very poor and socially isolated -- but there's great warmth to the story, as well. Three special people in Alfie's life are affectionately attentive to his small family. The book retains a very British feel, keeping U.K. terms such as "surgery" for a medical office and incorporating British sweets, but American kids will catch on quickly. There's a fair amount of potty humor and cheap laughs at the expense of an overweight woman.