Doctor De Soto (A Sunburst Book)
by William Steig
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Book Summary Information
Author: William SteigIllustrator: William Steig
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1990-06-30
ISBN: 0374418101
Number of pages: 32
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Book Reviews of Doctor De Soto (A Sunburst Book)
Book Review: De Soto: Mouse Dentist Extraordinaire!
Summary: 4 Stars
The author William Steig will be forever missed for his clever and delightful stories for the kiddie set. In "Doctor De Soto", Steig places the action in a land where such stories as "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" have taken place. In the story, animals of all types interact just as humans do, all the while retaining some very wild aspects. The story takes place in what looks to be the 1930s. As in Steig's "When Everybody Wore a Hat", the animals look as if they'd be comfortable listening to the radio and discussing President Roosevelt's reforms before going to bed each night. Dr. De Soto is a mouse dentist, who runs a quiet family practice with his wife. Normally, the De Soto's do not treat carnivorous animals but that rule changes when a pitiful fox comes to them with a toothache. Steig's drawings are sometimes easily dismissed as simplistic. This is not the case. Tiny details dot the illustrations, giving each page the feel of a snapshot into another world. The stairs leading to the De Soto office are separated into two types, large for bigger animals (donkeys, pigs, etc.) and smaller for woodland creatures. Dr. De Soto himself has set up a series of pulleys that allow him to work in the larger animals' mouths. Kids will like the book, gleefully observing the picture where a bloody infected tooth is pulled from the fox's mouth (little droplets of blood falling to the ground). If there is a moral to the story, it's probably to be vigilant. But who picks up a Steig book for a moral? This is just a fun piece of kid literature that everyone will like. It probably works best as an introductory text to the world of William Steig. Just be sure not to miss it.
Summary of Doctor De Soto (A Sunburst Book)
"Doctor De Soto, the dentist, did very good work." With the aid of his able assistant, Mrs. De Soto, he copes with the toothaches of animals large and small. His expertise is so great that his fortunate patients never feel any pain.
Since he's a mouse, Doctor De Soto refuses to treat "dangerous" animals--that is, animals who have a taste for mice. But one day a fox shows up and begs for relief from the tooth that's killing him. How can the kindhearted De Sotos turn him away? But how can they make sure that the fox doesn't give in to his baser instincts once his tooth is fixed? Those clever De Sotos will find a way.
Since he's a mouse, Doctor De Soto refuses to treat "dangerous" animals--that is, animals who have a taste for mice. But one day a fox shows up and begs for relief from the tooth that's killing him. How can the kindhearted De Sotos turn him away? But how can they make sure that the fox doesn't give in to his baser instincts once his tooth is fixed? Those clever De Sotos will find a way.
Doctor De Soto is a well-respected mouse-dentist who runs a successful practice with his wife (and able assistant) Mrs. De Soto. The De Sotos are friendly and professional toward all their patients, from chipmunks to donkeys to cows, the exception being "cats and other dangerous animals," as stated clearly on the sign outside the office. But the De Sotos are tender-hearted rodents, so when a miserable fox shows up begging for treatment, they agree to have a look (perhaps against their better judgment). As it turns out, this fox, with "a rotten bicuspid and unusually bad breath," manages to behave himself while tiny Doctor De Soto is standing mid-molar inside his gaping jaws. When the wily fox returns the next day to get his replacement gold tooth, however, he has mouse-flavored snacks on his mind. Luckily, Doctor De Soto and his wife have anticipated such despicable canine intentions, and find a way to outfox the ungrateful fox.
William Steig, award-winning creator of Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, once again offers young readers a clever, amusing tale of interspecies mingling. As usual, Steig's tone is matter-of-fact, and his enchanting illustrations of the responsible mouse couple and their foxy adversary are alive with expression and emotion. Kids will appreciate the De Sotos' wit, and will be delighted to read more about this diminutive couple's adventures in Doctor De Soto Goes to Africa. (Ages 4 to 8)
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