Tooth-Gnasher Superflash

by Daniel Pinkwater

The Popsnorkle family test drives the Tooth-Gnasher Superflash, pleased with the car's ability to turn into several different animals.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Juvenile

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Daniel Manus Pinkwater is an author of mostly children's books and is an occasional commentator on National Public Radio. He attended Bard College. Well-known books include Lizard Music, The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death, Fat Men from Space, Borgel, and the picture book The Big Orange Splot. Pinkwater has also illustrated many of his books in the past, although for more recent works that task has passed to his wife Jill Pinkwater.

Reviews

[Steven Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I am giving this the sacred FIVE-STAR rating. It's short, it's sweet, it's hilarious, and it is my all-time favorite kid's book. I know, I have broken a taboo by placing it over all the works of Dr. Seuss.

[Call Me Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its a great children's book, best when read with animated voices, you have to do it the same every time, otherwise It bothers me, and you have to count the correct number of 'yay's!'(one for every little pop-snorkel). No longer in print so you better get it online somewhere. Man this is a great book.

[Noelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's perfect!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical Pinkwater weirdness. The best part of the book is the family's name...Popsnorkle. Classic!

[Linda Rusche · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun fantastical story with marker drawings as illustrations. Great Reading Rainbow Book that excites the imagination.

[Zoann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The wonderful nonsense! The surprise ending! The artwork!

[Karla Lohaus-Fast · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected fun! Daniel Pinkwater is the best!!

[David Gillette]

Ruined cars for me. I will never find anything as good as that old Thunderclap 8.

[Cathy Zahner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Synopsis: "The Popsnorkle family decides that the old family car is ready to give up the ghost. The whole family, Mr. Popsnorkle, Mrs. Popsnorkle,. and the five little Popsnorkles head down to the car dealerships to look at new cars. They fall in love with the Tooth-Gnasher Superflash and discover on the test drive that it can turn into a dinosaur, an elephant, a turtle, and a chicken, much to the dismay of the car salesman, Mr. Sandy. They trade in the old car and give Mr. Sandy a lot of money and drive away in their new car."

This was one of my children's favorites back in the 1980s. The author, Daniel Pinkwater, was not only a superb writer and illustrator, but I loved his commentaries on NPR. Daniel Pinkwater, I miss you!

[Stiv_Matters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a lot of fun to read to a toddler. The Popsnorkel family goes to the car dealer to buy a new car and they test drive the Tooth Gnasher Superflash which can do all kinds of things one doesn't usually expect a car to do. Lots of opportunities to use different voices and when the car turns into a dinosaur, elephant, etc., my daughter loves jumping up and down on the bed and acting out the different creatures. As a parent, I have to read a lot of children's books and this is one of my favorites.

[Bonnie Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as fun as I remembered it from my childhood. My kindergartener adored it- and as a bonus, it's evidently one of the first books we've read where there was an extensive use of last names, so it lead to a useful discussion about calling people "Mr." "Mrs." and "Ms." as well as why they are the "five little Popsnorkles"

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic. It is all so funny... this is my all-time favorite Daniel Pinkwater story.
"It's a lovely shade of blue."

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silly and fun book.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it!

[Teresa Gashler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is brilliant! I especially love the illustrations by Pinkwater himself.

[RobesonBoys · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bunch of silly things that a car becomes (dinosaur, elephant) brought on lots of giggles from everyone here.

[Cheryl]

Really best suited for the target audience; my inner child refused to come out and play for this one. Pinkwater at his most absurd, his most pointless.