Imagine eating, talking, and smiling without your teeth.Life wouldn't be easy. Some animals, such as birds and turtles, don't need any teeth, but many others use them to get food and protect themselves. Horses nibble each other's necks to get rid of loose hair and pesky insects. Pop a peanut into your mouth and you can grind it with your molars. They're strong, but they're no match for the teethin a deer's mouth. This book will help you discover theamazing ways animals use their teeth.

When it's time for lunch, you might be munching sandwiches,crunching crackers, or nibbling veggies. Whatever's on the menu,you have the teeth you need to chomp up your food. The same is true of animals. Asian apes called orangutans use their large front teeth to break into fruit with tough rinds, while the back teeth crack open nuts with even the hardest shells. If the hippopotamus of Africa yawns with its teeth, it's not saying it's tired. The hippo,like the one on the front cover of this book, is making threats by displaying a powerhouse of weapons its teeth. In TEETH THAT STAB AND GRIND,author Diane Swanson takes us on an investigation of how animals use their teeth in fun and unusual ways. The African elephant has long tusks that are great for doing all sorts of things,like poking around in soil to find water, while horses talk tough by opening their mouths to show off their big teeth.

All Kinds of Teeth

Chomping Teeth Grinding Teeth

Talking Teeth

Grabbing Teeth

Stabbing Teeth

Tricky Teeth

Index