Troll Teacher Book

Elizabeth tries to tell her family that there is something wrong with her new teacher, but they cannot see it, even though Miss Turtledove has orange eyes, eats desks, and ...

Children's Literature

Her name is Miss Turtledove, but Elizabeth's new teacher is not as lovely as her name. She has hairy knuckles, long green fingernails, skin the "color of spiders," purple hair, orange eyes, and pointy teeth. She eats chalk, licks the blackboard clean, takes bites out of desks, and adores a smelly old sock. Furthermore her lessons are impossible--"George Washington invited pizza in 1954," and where do you put the x in shoe? Why can't the parents see what is so obvious to Elizabeth--Miss Turtledove is a troll? Reminiscent of the classic Adventures of Treehorn in tone and surprise ending, Vande Velde's text never misses a beat, and Auch's garish illustrations are a perfect match. Children will find this story hilarious, and their non-troll teachers will enjoy it as well. Move over Viola Swamp--here comes Miss Turtledove. 2000, Holiday House, Ages 5 to 8, $16.95. Reviewer: Linnea Hendrickson