Read to Tiger

August 1, 2010

PreS-Gr 1-A wide-eyed boy nestles into his couch for a cozy read, only to be repeatedly interrupted by a full-size cartoon tiger that insists on chewing gum, growling like a bear, doing karate, blowing a whistle, then lifting the couch to find the whistle. With each offense, the animal insists, "Tiger is very sorry!" and promises to cease. Finally, the critter has a peek at the book, learns from the boy that it is about a circus tiger, and snuggles up to listen to the story. As in Tiger Can't Sleep (Viking, 2006), Fore and Alley play with sound effects and comic expressions, which will please a read-aloud audience. The spare ink drawings expand on Tiger's amusing antics, adding in a red train or midnight forest as backdrop. The Typeka text is somewhat difficult to read when holding the book aloft for crowd viewing and the tale goes on a little long for those under age four, but it will find fans in children who enjoy energetic tales.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA

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