The Toothpaste Genie

Sylvia Pantaleo is an assistant professor of education specializing in
children’s literature at Queen’s University and the co-author of
Learning with Literature in the Canadian Elementary Classroom.

One wish a day—that is the guideline of the apprentice genie who
magically appears out of Amanda’s tube of toothpaste. Much to
Amanda’s chagrin, the purple and grumpy genie manages to fulfil her
wishes in frustrating and embarrassing ways. The genie takes great
delight in the predicaments in which Amanda finds herself, and she must
use many of her wishes to reverse previous wishes. Fish that disappear,
the ability to speak only French, fingernails that grow rapidly when
bitten, a time-travel adventure to the past, a horse in her bedroom, and
a baby sister are the results of some of Amanda’s wishes. Although
frustrated, Amanda is sympathetic to the genie’s concern about not
graduating because of her atypical wishes.

Rereading this novel confirmed my previous opinion of the incongruous
nature of the chapter about Amanda’s time-travel adventure. This
chapter detracts from the development of the overall plot and is
inconsistent with the other events in the book. Overall, however,
readers will enjoy the unfolding plot of Amanda’s humorous situations
and the relationship between Amanda and the mischievous genie. A note
about the author at the end of the book states that Duncan is working on
a sequel to The Toothpaste Genie. Recommended.