Tale of a Tooth

Told in the voice of an intelligent, passionate and unusual child, Tale of a Tooth is an immersive and compelling look at the impact of domestic abuse on a vulnerable family unit.

Four-year-old Danny lives with his mother, Natalie, in a small Sussex town. Life is a struggle and when they are threatened with a benefits sanction, salvation appears in the form of a Job Centre employee called Karen. But Karen's impact is to reach far beyond this one generous gesture, as she and Natalie embark on an intense relationship.

'An extraordinary story of the bond between a mother and her son. Four-year-old Danny's voice is utterly convincing, heartbreaking and ultimately full of love and hope' Catherine Hall

'Allie Rogers strikes gold again. A book about issues that isn't issue-led, and a book about childhood that isn't mawkish and emotional - Allie Rogers has, in Tale of a Tooth, created a tale that's original, powerful and long lasting. Danny's voice is readable, memorable, and may have just changed my mind about child narrators' The Book Bag

'It was a challenging read in terms of exploring the often taboo issue of domestic violence between women, which makes this a hugely important novel. Exploring a narrative which is too often kept private, but nevertheless, desperately needs to be told, Allie Rogers is unflinching in her descriptions of bullying and brutality which can be found within relationships. For this, she deserves to be congratulated.' Jess Richards

'Via a unique, compelling, utterly original voice and characters I loved from page one, Tale of a Tooth tells a critical, timely, heart-breaking story of a little boy and his mother navigating the hard parts of life with grace and wisdom and, most importantly, each other' Laurie Frankel