Demon Dentist

Choose 2-3 illustrations in the text intended to grab the reader’s attention. How do the images relate to the story? How do they contribute to the reading experience?

Regarding the setting, no year is given. Think about the story’s details. In what year might the story take place? What clues in the story suggest the time?

How does Miss Root/the Tooth Witch fit the mold of a typical witch, the kind you would read about in fairy tales and other stories? How does she differ from a stereotypical witch? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

Even in a comedy, certain characters may be considered comic relief. How does PC Plank fit this description? How do PC Plank’s traits and inabilities contribute to the plot?

The story is told from the third-person point of view, but the author still conveys Alfie’s inner thoughts and emotions. Find a passage of Alfie’s interior monologue and explain what readers learn directly or indirectly about him.

Why might the author have chosen to offer strong characterization details for a character like Mr. Snood, who enters the story for only a few brief scenes? What other characters are similarly involved, and what does their characterization add to the reading experience? Use specific examples from the text to support your answer.

What personality traits make Raj an unlikely ally to Alfie? What personality traits make Raj a strong ally in Alfie’s plan?

The author uses bullet points several times to show in list form what Alfie thinks or recalls. What is the likely effect of the bulleted format on most readers? What does the content of each list reveal about Alfie?