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The Children’s Book Getting Kids to Brush Their Teeth

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Pilates - Pixies - Parenting

About me

Hi, I’m Natalie, mum of two girls, founder of Organic Pilates, co-founder of The Tooth Pixie and as it turns out, a children’s author.

I live on the Gold Coast in Australia, where my life is a mix of movement, motherhood and navigating the world of eCommerce. Before becoming an author, I spent years building a wellness business focused on helping women reconnect with their bodies. Movement, confidence and care have always been central to what I do.

Natalie Matheson pilates
Natalie with her two girls - the inspiration behind her first children's book

I’ve always loved writing and completed a Bachelor of Communications majoring in Journalism and Marketing many moons ago. However, life took a different path, first into the world of events, and later into Pilates after having children. Writing a children’s book certainly wasn’t part of “the plan.”

What a delightful surprise it turned out to be.

Are you Thinking of writing a book? Watch this free webinar first 👇🏼
how to self publish a book

How the Tooth Pixie started

The Spark behind the story

The idea didn’t actually start with me, it started with my brother (and now business partner), Todd.

He was watching me navigate parenting, the daily negotiations around brushing teeth and the anxiety that can come with the wobbly tooth stage. One day he said to me, “Wouldn’t it be awesome if the Tooth Fairy had a helper? Called a Tooth Pixie or something?”

I loved the idea instantly but filed it away while juggling life. Then, on a family holiday to Cradle Mountain in Tasmania, everything clicked. If you’ve ever walked around Dove Lake, you’ll know it feels magical. The Ballroom Forest (yes, it’s a real place) feels exactly like something out of a storybook. Standing there, I could see it clearly, coming to life before my eyes.

That’s where the Tooth Fairy Mother and her Tooth Pixies were born. Tooth Pixies tells the origin story of the Tooth Fairy and her helpers, magical guardians sent to children when their first wobbly tooth appears. The Tooth Pixie watches over the child, encourages brushing, healthy habits and kindness and “reports” back to the Tooth Fairy Mother.

Tooth Pixies doesn’t replace the Tooth Fairy folklore, it adds another layer to it.

Why I chose to Self-publish

the work of a book publisher

Once the story took shape, the vision became much bigger than a book. Tooth Pixies wasn’t just a manuscript, it was a character, a physical product, a milestone experience and ultimately, a brand.

I sourced an illustrator, the incredibly talented Bima Perera, who brought The Tooth Pixie world to life visually. Then I set out to manufacture our first Tooth Pixie doll to sit alongside the book. Our signature Tooth Pixie Pack includes the storybook, a plush Tooth Pixie doll and a beautifully designed keepsake box.

The Tooth Pixie Book
The Tooth Pixie - Published 2025

By the time I approached publishers, I had a fully illustrated story, a website ready to launch and a rather large order for units in production. 

The feedback I received?

“You’ve already done the work of a publisher.”

In essence, we had taken it too far down the entrepreneurial path for traditional publishing to make sense. 

So, we backed ourselves and continued independently.

The reality of self-publishing

The pro's and con's of doing it yourself

Self-publishing both is empowering and humbling. You become the:

👉🏽writer,

👉🏽editor,

👉🏽project manager,

👉🏽marketer,

👉🏽distributor and

👉🏽warehouse packer.

Writing the book is only about 10% of the journey. The rest is production logistics, freight, barcodes, margins, trade fairs, funding and learning an entirely new industry language.

Natalie Matheson

In our first year, we exhibited at two national retail trade fairs and that experience alone accelerated my learning curve dramatically. We now sit somewhere between “publishing land” and “distribution land,” which can be a tricky space. Distributors prefer to buy from established publishers and publishers want creative control. So here we are, building through eCommerce, boutique retail and brand storytelling.

It’s not the easiest path. But it’s ours.

The pro's of Self-publishing

The best part is definitely creative freedom and full ownership of the idea, and it’s direction.

The Con's of self-publishing

The most challenging part is the financial outlay and the responsibility. When you self-publish, success is directly tied to the effort, time and strategy YOU bring to the table.

What I've Learned About Myself

This journey has stretched me in the best possible way.

I’ve had to apply myself to systems completely outside my Pilates world. I like to joke that I’m flexible in a whole new way now.

I’ve always been a dreamer but this experience taught me to both apply myself and to back myself. And to realise that I can learn anything I need to, if I’m willing to put in the work.

Little Ivory Haus by Laura Feldman
"Her self-publishing course was the key to bringing my story to life" - Stacy Grgich
Click here to learn more

Do you have an idea for a book but not sure what to do about it? 

Watch Laura’s FREE webinars on Getting Started with writing a children’s book!

Where Tooth Pixie's is now?

Tooth Pixies is currently available through our eCommerce store and selected boutique retailers across Australia.

What began as a single story has evolved into a growing brand. I have a huge vision for the character, including loads of additional product concepts and a broader storytelling universe.

But as every founder learns, it’s one step at a time.
We’re gently reshaping a tradition many of us grew up with, adding an extra layer of imagination, reassurance and routine for modern families.

Book helping kids brush teeth

What's Next?

A whole Tooth Pixie universe. Think:

🧚🏽 expanded storylines,

🧚🏽 new characters,

🧚🏽 merchandise,

🧚🏽 animation and

🧚🏽 more stories!

I have a whole world in my head ready to explode.

Instagram Globe Facebook

You can find and follow The Tooth Pixie’s on Instagram @the_tooth_pixie

To find a stockist or purchase a Tooth Pixie – visit thetoothpixie.com

Article & images kindly supplied by Author Natalie Matheson

Natalie Matheson
Author Natalie Matheson
Natalie Matheson

This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission.

Meet Natalie Matheson

From Pilates to Pixies… Co-founder of the brand The Tooth Pixies – Natalie Matheson, shares with us her children’s story that is helping kids everywhere actually want to brush their teeth! Natalie is a mum from the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia and I’ll let her tell you all about her past life as a Pilates instructor to her current life running her own e-commerce store and managing stockists for her debut children’s book – The Tooth Pixie. But first… 

I loved anything by Roald Dahl, such classics growing up in the 80s and 90s. However, my absolute favourite was The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I vividly remember when it was adapted into a film while I was in Year 4.

Natalies favourite book from childhood?

Natalie's kids favourite picture books?

Where Is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox, as well as Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy by Lynley Dodd. Both were well and truly on repeat in our home.

best-childrens-pictures-books-birchys-books

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