Doctor De Soto by William Steig
Doctor De Soto is a skilled dentist. He also happens to be a mouse. His sensible general policy is never to treat animals who are dangerous to mice. But when a well-dressed fox with a bad toothache asks for help, he bends his rules. Will he be able to outfox the fox?
This delightful book plays with practical challenges posed by treating patients who are far, far larger in size than the treating dentist. To treat large animals like pigs, Doctor De Soto climbs a ladder. For even larger animals, like donkeys, he uses a hoist with a pulley system, with help from his wife.
There are some dated gender norms (the husband is the clever dentist, his wife his loyal helper; the book was first published in 1982) but the story captivates.
William Steig is the author of the legendary Shrek.
Recommended age: 4-7
