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The Guardians #3
Toothiana: Queen of the Tooth Fairy Armies
Beware a tooth fairy queen scorned in this, the third chapter book of Academy Award winner William Joyce's The Guardians series. There's a lot more to this tooth-swiping sprite than meets the eye!
When last we heard, the Guardians were resting easy with the knowledge that the children of Santoff Clausen were finally safe from Pitch's dastardly plans.
But is it all a ruse, a scheme, a lull the evil Nightmare King has deviously concocted?
Whatever Pitch's plans, what he doesn't know is that there's a new Guardian in town, and she's not the type to forget old grudges. Actually, she's not the type to forget anything--because this Guardian is none other than Toothiana, the Tooth Fairy herself. She's fierce and fast and crossing her will lead to a multitude of troubles. And, it turns out that, well, all those teeth she has been collecting? They contain memories. The forgotten memories of childhood... including the memories of how to fly. Young Katherine is hopeful that these memories might help her to remember her parents. The Guardians hope they'll offer even further protection from Pitch.
You can see how this information would be invaluable to our heroes. But it could also be invaluable to Pitch...
When last we heard, the Guardians were resting easy with the knowledge that the children of Santoff Clausen were finally safe from Pitch's dastardly plans.
But is it all a ruse, a scheme, a lull the evil Nightmare King has deviously concocted?
Whatever Pitch's plans, what he doesn't know is that there's a new Guardian in town, and she's not the type to forget old grudges. Actually, she's not the type to forget anything--because this Guardian is none other than Toothiana, the Tooth Fairy herself. She's fierce and fast and crossing her will lead to a multitude of troubles. And, it turns out that, well, all those teeth she has been collecting? They contain memories. The forgotten memories of childhood... including the memories of how to fly. Young Katherine is hopeful that these memories might help her to remember her parents. The Guardians hope they'll offer even further protection from Pitch.
You can see how this information would be invaluable to our heroes. But it could also be invaluable to Pitch...
226 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2012
98 people are currently reading
4570 people want to read
About the author
William Joyce
164 books1,495 followersWilliam Joyce does a lot of stuff—films, apps, Olympic curling—but children’s books are his true bailiwick (The Numberlys, The Man in the Moon, Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King, Toothiana, and the #1 New York Times bestselling The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, which is also an Academy Award–winning short film, to name a few). He lives with his family in Shreveport, Louisiana.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 460 reviews
June 11, 2022
Brave hearts and sharp minds.
An apt description for the entire series and what its characters.
After defeating Pitch in the previous book, moonbeams along with the newly annointed Guardians keep watch over the children of Earth, but there is no sighn of the bad guy. Thus, they all go to the Lunar Lamas to announce Pitch's defeat. There, they find out about the existance of what we know as the Tooth Fairy - her real name being Toothiana.
And just as they thought they could make plans for a glorious future, there is the mysterious Monkey King with his lackeys kidnapping Katherine!
I like how this installment deals with the fear of growing up as well as how people change and how to stay friends. Moreover, I really liked Toothiana's origin story and how her power manifests (her mini-selves). Most of all, I like how the individual Guardians help children in their own ways.
The writing is enchanting in every installment. Here too. Add to that the equally enchanting illustrations:
Wonderful tales teaching readers of any age the value of friendship, loyalty, belief and being a good person.
P.S.: Ever time I crack open this book, I'm delighted to see that it is dedicated to Trish (no, sadly, the author didn't mean me, but still). ;)
Original review:
As the other books, "Toothiana" was brilliant too. I guess, what I like best about the message the books are giving, is that the Guardians never win when fighting. I mean, they are fierce and brilliant and can do quite a lot of damage - but what saves the day is always something else: love, pity, a brilliant idea ... something that doesn't involve violence! <3
Also, what I have to say about Toothiana herself: I saw the movie first, but the Toothiana in the book is 1000% better! In the movie - typical Hollywood I guess - she is just pretty and feisty, while in the books she can definitely hold her own and fight her own battles. She's less "girly" but a true Guardian.
June 18, 2022
Reading with my girl.
She likes the series a lot. Her favorite bits are the introduction of the new MCs and the artwork. But overall, the stories are very exciting.
Me, I like them because my daughter gets so excited. When she reads the story to me, she gets into the characters and whenever E. Aster Bunnymund comes around, she begs me for chocolate. It's cute.
On another note, I definitely got some heavy Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom vibes in this book. Plus I kept thinking of the god, Ganesha, and the grand, epic adventures of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. :)
She likes the series a lot. Her favorite bits are the introduction of the new MCs and the artwork. But overall, the stories are very exciting.
Me, I like them because my daughter gets so excited. When she reads the story to me, she gets into the characters and whenever E. Aster Bunnymund comes around, she begs me for chocolate. It's cute.
On another note, I definitely got some heavy Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom vibes in this book. Plus I kept thinking of the god, Ganesha, and the grand, epic adventures of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. :)
December 9, 2020
All's quiet...but not for long.
Many months had passed since the battle at the Earth's core during which Pitch, the Nightmare King, had been soundly defeated by Katherine and the other Guardians...
Katherine, a human girl, is feeling...confused...ever since the battle with the Nightmare King. She's surrounded by her friends:
Ombric, the wizard; his apprentice, Nicholas St. North; their friend Nightlight; and their friend Nightlight; and their newest ally, the Pookan rabbit known as E. Aster Bunnymund.but still...something is off.
It's only after her kidnapping by evil monkeys does her friends realize what happened - the Nightmare King is back!
Queen Toothiana - leader of the Fairy Armies - is a legend to even among the legendaries. She is reluctant to join their group...but if the Nightmare King is to be defeated, then they will need every last person.
As always - this was such a fun book!
I loved how Joyce weaves in all of the various characters - tooth fairy, sandman, easter bunny, santa, etc. There's little hints and references scattered so that the reader pieces things together.
Queen Toothiana's lore was so cute.
A young Toothiana notices that childhood memories are stored in the teeth, so she decides to hold them for safekeeping.
But, not wanting to be rude, she leaves the children small gifts. The kids are overjoyed and so she begins to spread out her business.
I'm really curious to see where this story continues!
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February 11, 2021
4.5/5 stars
I already love Toothiana in the movie, but her book version is such a queen. I love her!
I already love Toothiana in the movie, but her book version is such a queen. I love her!
May 21, 2017
I love how much this series grew up since the first book. Yes! Yes! This is good stuff! There's complexity in both the heroes and the villains - the desire to kill Pitch when he took Katherine, the heartbreak and terror in Pitch when he was pinned down. (I'm so glad that we're starting to get reminders that, no, this is not actually Kozmotis Pitchiner, this is Pitchiner being possessed by untold numbers of evil spirits. Pitch is essentially a vessel, someone used as a weapon for millennia against his will, and that's honestly heartbreaking to me, and why I'm really invested in this conflict even though on all other fronts it's pretty basic MG fare.)
The cliffhanger is great. The dropped bomb is great. I'm relieved that I have Sandy's book already from the library so I don't have too long to wait to see what happens next.
The cliffhanger is great. The dropped bomb is great. I'm relieved that I have Sandy's book already from the library so I don't have too long to wait to see what happens next.
December 18, 2023
I loved this third instalment that introduces Toothiana and the backstory of how she came to be. The story cleverly weaves a narrative that is filled with adventure, the seriousness of battle and the lighthearted charm of childhood. Not something I would think could be balanced but it is done with a deft hand. Childhood, the childhood before devices, is captured artfully with imagination and creativity. Joyce taps into the nature of children and delivers a wonderful story to satisfy all aspects, the sweet and the savage.
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December 9, 2025I dunno man, the paucity of imagination and lack of self-awareness that it would take to call your main character "Toothiana" (and by retroactive extension to have another character named "E. Aster Bunnymund") makes me loath to ever attempt reading this series. Beautiful cover, though.
October 4, 2019
Who wouldn't like a book about a warrior fairy? Toothiana is badass and beautiful (again, these illustrations!!) and fits right into the team of guardians we already know and love. I also like the new facts we learn about Pitch which I think make him a far more interesting villain. Still, it is a light read, and I am very much enjoying it.And as always, not enough bunny!
February 3, 2014
These books get better as the series goes on. My kids and I love the fact that the tooth fairy is a warrior and a protector of childhood, and not a dainty little fairy with a wand. The chapters are the perfect length for reading aloud and they usually have great cliffhangers to make the kids said, "Don't stop reading!"
August 11, 2020
3,75/5
Bem divertido, uma leitura leve e rápida pra intercalar entre livros mais densos e pesados.
Bem divertido, uma leitura leve e rápida pra intercalar entre livros mais densos e pesados.
July 5, 2017
No decido si lo original de los personajes/situaciones es curioso o fastidioso.
June 19, 2022
3.5/5
August 14, 2017
La historia de Toothiana es sumamente triste sin embargo ella también es un gran ejemplo de superación personal, el rey mono es un buen ejemplo de que tan bajo a que tan mala puede ser la humanidad, sombra está ahí presente y por un momento tenemos una revelación acerca de sus conflictos internos, los guardianes crecen tanto en número como en funcionalidad de equipo. ¡Una excelente historia!
January 21, 2024
This book is probably every bit as good as the first two, but I enjoyed it slightly less. This new Guardian’s backstory is the darkest one yet, which made for some tough reading, and aspects of the plot felt a bit rushed. But this is also the first of the series to end on a true cliffhanger, which makes me think and hope that some of the seemingly underdeveloped parts of this entry will be built up and brought into clarity in the last two books. And the series continues to be worth recommending on the strength of the illustrations alone.
“He’d thought he might feel anxious at this moment; instead, he felt peaceful - more peaceful than he could ever remember feeling. He had shared the truest dream of his heart.”
“Nightlight’s worst fear - his only fear - was coming true. He did not understand growing up. He did not know if he could grow up. And he did not want to be left behind if she did. But he had saved her, and as she placed her finger in the empty spot where her tooth had been, he knew that everything would be different. But there was only one thing he could do - smile at the gap in her grin.”
“He’d thought he might feel anxious at this moment; instead, he felt peaceful - more peaceful than he could ever remember feeling. He had shared the truest dream of his heart.”
“Nightlight’s worst fear - his only fear - was coming true. He did not understand growing up. He did not know if he could grow up. And he did not want to be left behind if she did. But he had saved her, and as she placed her finger in the empty spot where her tooth had been, he knew that everything would be different. But there was only one thing he could do - smile at the gap in her grin.”
October 15, 2016
This book definitely helped me solidify my hate and disgust for monkeys.
I loved Toothiana's story and her strong, always-ready-for-battle badass character. I think she's my favorite Guardian, at least for now.
I loved Toothiana's story and her strong, always-ready-for-battle badass character. I think she's my favorite Guardian, at least for now.
October 23, 2025
Hasta el momento la historia más pintoresca e interesante es esta. Aparecen nuevos personajes, disfrute mucho el uso del folclore Hindú y parece que una mención a lo que sería una versión maligna de Haruman.
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September 26, 2024It's taking me forever to go through this series for some reason, but I have finally finished the reread section now! (I have read the first three books in my own language when I was a kid, but they never continued to translate them) I still think I'm having trouble getting used to Mr. Joyce's writing style, and while I understand that the series is aimed at a younger audience, it still trips me up sometimes while reading. I really enjoyed getting to know Tooth again, the vast contrast between her and her film counterpart made the story really engaging. I think that some characters have the potential to be developed deeper, and I found that sometimes magic becomes too much of a convenient solution for problems (I especially didn't like their telepathic connection, it just feels a bit cheap), but overall I thought the character dynamics were all very believable and I love the little found family they have created with the Guardians and the children of Santoff Claussen. Katherine being extra sensitive to Nightlight's growing worry is very adorable, and I love how empathetic she is, even towards Pitch. I also forgot how intense the third act of the book was, so when I picked it up to just read a few chapters before bed, I sped through the entire second half of the book within an hour.
I'm very excited to meet Jack and Sandy in the next book (but I have now been informed that Jack does NOT in fact appear in the next book) and to read new material that I've never read before!
I'm very excited to meet Jack and Sandy in the next book (but I have now been informed that Jack does NOT in fact appear in the next book) and to read new material that I've never read before!
February 28, 2019
Like E. Aster Bunnymund, I personally think this book shines best near the end.
The beginning dwells again on impossible, wondrous, great things. I hate to say that it is pretty dull to read about. I'm sorry! I need either inner or outer conflict; I'm not picky. Utopia is actually really boring to read about until something goes wrong. This is probably my adult palate rising up again.
Our newest Guardian of Childhood is Toothiana, who is amazing here. Her backstory sounds like a real, oral tradition, thousand year old fairy tale. The character herself is a fierce warrior queen. She acts a little lonely, very genuine, and you can already see the disconnect she has with kids = good; adults = bad. Promising stuff.
Katherine gets some more development. I already like her fairly well, and we start to dive into her inner doubts and fears. Actually, I almost wish we touched on her doubts and fears more, because that was where the story shined for me. Pitch, too, acts as a sort of foil to Katherine. We see the effects of last volume on him, and it pushes him to some pretty significant lengths.
Also, may I just say that the illustrations are still absolutely glorious? There are black-and-white sketches in these chapter books, which are charming enough, but there are also colored picture books by the author and they too are spectacular! Even if you don't read the book, skim through the pictures!
The beginning dwells again on impossible, wondrous, great things. I hate to say that it is pretty dull to read about. I'm sorry! I need either inner or outer conflict; I'm not picky. Utopia is actually really boring to read about until something goes wrong. This is probably my adult palate rising up again.
Our newest Guardian of Childhood is Toothiana, who is amazing here. Her backstory sounds like a real, oral tradition, thousand year old fairy tale. The character herself is a fierce warrior queen. She acts a little lonely, very genuine, and you can already see the disconnect she has with kids = good; adults = bad. Promising stuff.
Katherine gets some more development. I already like her fairly well, and we start to dive into her inner doubts and fears. Actually, I almost wish we touched on her doubts and fears more, because that was where the story shined for me. Pitch, too, acts as a sort of foil to Katherine. We see the effects of last volume on him, and it pushes him to some pretty significant lengths.
Also, may I just say that the illustrations are still absolutely glorious? There are black-and-white sketches in these chapter books, which are charming enough, but there are also colored picture books by the author and they too are spectacular! Even if you don't read the book, skim through the pictures!
November 11, 2025
Me está gustando mucho el hecho de que cada personaje es un tipo de ser diferente. Sé que la historia de los libros es diferente a la de la película pero no podía dejar de pensar en la película y que en algún punto iba a ser similar, pero pues no. Aquí el personaje del hada de los dientes tiene un origen, un desarrollo y una personalidad muy diferentes de la película. Aunque, ambas versiones de este personaje son muy interesantes y me gustan mucho. Sentí que no hubo un gran avance en la historia pero el hecho de que hayan desarrollado mas y que se nos haya platicado más sobre el origen de este personaje fue algo que se agradece o hace que se compense un poco esa falta de "avance o acción" en este libro.
SPOILERS
A pesar de que es un libro infantil no pensé que mencionaran cosas delicadas como el hecho de que hay han matado a los papás de Toothiana, eso me sorprendió bastante. A pesar de que haya tenido ese trasfondo tan triste y duro en su vida, es un personaje que maduró rápidamente y logró ver el lado bueno de las cosas y salir adelante. Otra cosa que me gustó fue (como ya lo dije) que se le diera mas relevancia a otros personajes, a parte de North.
SPOILERS
A pesar de que es un libro infantil no pensé que mencionaran cosas delicadas como el hecho de que hay han matado a los papás de Toothiana, eso me sorprendió bastante. A pesar de que haya tenido ese trasfondo tan triste y duro en su vida, es un personaje que maduró rápidamente y logró ver el lado bueno de las cosas y salir adelante. Otra cosa que me gustó fue (como ya lo dije) que se le diera mas relevancia a otros personajes, a parte de North.
July 31, 2017
Como me gustan estos libros, me encanta que la historia es sencilla, pero tiene sus toques de oscuridad y temor. Tiene compañerismo, amor, lealtad, honestidad, todo eso que quieres que los niños aprendan, y que a veces es bueno recordar como adultos. Me encanta que Sombra sea un villano tan oscuro y aterrador, representa una amenaza real. Y amo a los guardianes, todos son diferentes, y no son perfectos, pero siempre dan lo mejor de si. La historia de Toothiana es tan triste, pero al mismo tiempo es alentador ver cómo se convirtió en lo que es. Ahora, vamos por el cuarto.
November 18, 2019
I liked this one better than E. Aster Bunnymund and the Warrior Eggs at the Earth's Core! but not quite as much as Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King. The writing style of these books is just so magical. I'm not sure why, but I love it.
July 26, 2022
William Joyce brings us the most ferocious Guardian yet. The Tooth Fairy, known here as Toothiana, is fierce and I love her! This book was a lot less plot heavy and does very little to progress the overall series plot until the last few pages and a cliffhanger. Instead, we get an extended backstory on Toothiana and why she's so quick tempered. The illustrations in this one were gorgeous, as always, and did a wonderful job of showing how much older Katherine is than when the story began. Looking forward to the final two books in the series.
January 19, 2024
4.5/5 stars
Queen Toothiana is infintely better than the Tooth Fairy in the movie. Fight me. This (literal) queen is a badass, immortal warrior who doesn't spend most of her screen time fawning over an eternal 17-year-old, but is instead murderous towards her life-long enemy.
Tooth was my least favorite Guardian in the movie, but as of now—given that Sandy and Jack haven't been introduced yet—she's my favorite in this series.
I can't wait for the next book!
Queen Toothiana is infintely better than the Tooth Fairy in the movie. Fight me. This (literal) queen is a badass, immortal warrior who doesn't spend most of her screen time fawning over an eternal 17-year-old, but is instead murderous towards her life-long enemy.
Tooth was my least favorite Guardian in the movie, but as of now—given that Sandy and Jack haven't been introduced yet—she's my favorite in this series.
I can't wait for the next book!
June 17, 2024
I have no idea that some kids book can have me super interested in every chapter; the new adventure after a period of calm and with new friends and new villains it's amazing and again it's a kid book and that make me remind that simplicity is the best!
Don't get me wrong simple doesn't mean no twist; it's lovely!
Don't get me wrong simple doesn't mean no twist; it's lovely!
July 28, 2018
I enjoyed this much more than book two. The plot felt more consistent and I enjoyed learning about Toothiana. Overall this series borders on sickly sweet for me, so I'm not sure when I'll continue with it.
February 15, 2025
Libro ligero y entretenido con una historia interesante y hermosas ilustraciones, de lo mejorcito en cuestiones de literatura infantil, lo mejor es que no necesitas leer los anteriores para entenderlo
June 15, 2021
Toothiana es, sin duda, una guerrera. Ya quiero leer más. 💚
November 4, 2022
4,3/5⭐
August 1, 2024
3,5⭐️
December 6, 2024
Estos libros simplemente me ponen muy feliz
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