We all have things we love to do. These things we love may not be good for us, but sometimes we decide to do them anyway. Lily Pearl is a sweet young girl who loves to chew bubble gum and blow bubbles. The bigger, the better. Even though Lily Pearl was well liked and always seemed to do what she was told, people didn’t like her passion for blowing bubble gum. Like most young people, Lily Pearl ignored the suggestions that she stop her gum chewing habit. She wouldn’t listen. Until one day, her mother announced it was time to have Lily Pearl’s teeth straightened by the orthodontist, Dr. Ben. When he was done working in Lily Pearl’s mouth, she was shocked to discover that her teeth were confined, wired with shiny silver braces. She was told she couldn’t chew gum, but she didn’t listen and what a mess she made of her braces. After a painful cleaning to remove the gum from the braces, Lily Pearl, never sad for long, realized that this was only a minor setback. She would wait until the braces were removed and then enjoy as much gum as she wanted.

Anne Toole’s picture book story, Lily Pearl, is a clever tale of about a happy little girl and her passion for chewing gum. A simple enough story, it points out to young readers that sometimes there is a good reason behind instructions. When you are told not to do something, perhaps it’s better to listen and obey, than to just carry on and do what you want to do. The story is told mostly in rhyming verse which lyrically carries along the plot of a sweet little girl who loves to chew her gum. The illustrations by Richa Kinra are bright and colorful and paint a lovely picture for each part of the story.

Lily Pearl is a children’s educational picture book written by Anne Toole and illustrated by Richa Kinra. Lily was a normal little girl who delighted in chewing bubble gum and blowing bubbles. She would practice blowing bubbles all day long. She blew bubbles while she was walking or riding her bike, everywhere she went. People couldn’t help but notice the little girl and the amazing bubbles she would create. When her mom and the orthodontist decided that it was time for her teeth to be straightened out, however, they warned her that she couldn’t chew gum while she was wearing her braces. Lily Pearl began to cry when she first caught sight of those big metal braces in her mouth, and she hated the thought that she couldn’t chew gum. Then that night, she wondered if just maybe she could still chew gum. Maybe they were wrong. She was determined to find out for herself.

Anne Toole’s educational picture book for children, Lily Pearl, approaches a subject many kids are or will become familiar with -- the dentist, the orthodontist and getting braces. It’s particularly traumatic for Lily Pearl who loves chewing gum and blowing bubbles. Toole introduces the concept of dentist visits and braces in this light-hearted and lyrical fable in a warm and comforting manner. Richa Kinra’s illustrations are bold and brightly colored, making Lily Pearl and her fabulous bubbles bigger than life. Kids will empathize with Lily Pearl’s shock and dismay at seeing those braces for the first time, and will most likely decide not to try chewing gum, based on Lily Pearl’s own disastrous experience. They’ll also be relieved to realize that the braces won’t be there forever. Lily Pearl is highly recommended.