It’s a Tiger!
by David LaRochelle
illustrated by Jeremy Tankard
Chronicle Books, 2012
Ages: Preschool and up
ISBN 978–0‑8118–6925‑6
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Are you ready for a story? Me too. But wait a minute. What’s that lurking in the jungle? You don’t think it could be … A TIGER!
No matter which way the narrator in this story runs, that pesky tiger keeps showing up. With plenty of opportunities for listeners to jump, duck, climb, and run, this energetic read-aloud will have young children shouting, “It’s a tiger!”
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Resources
Teachers, librarians, and bookstore owners, you can download a free teaching guide and an activity kit for It’s a Tiger!
Awards and Recognition
Iowa Bridge to Reading Award
Minnesota Book Award
Star of the North Picture Book Award nominee
Utah Beehive Book Award nominee
Missouri Building Block Award nominee
Texas 2x2 Reading List
Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books
Tennessee Volunteer Award nominee
Reviews
“Tankard’s vibrant ink and digitally rendered illustrations express the excitement and fun of the story, elevating the exuberant text to ideal storytime fare. It’s a tiger, and it’s sure to be a hit.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“Young imaginations will run wild with this story within a story of a young boy who escapes from a tiger over and over again in various outrageous land- and seascapes. Tankard’s bold black lines, created with ink and digital media, frame the cartoonlike characters and allow the tiger’s stripes to stand out strikingly when viewed from a storytime circle. Children will enjoy trying to spot the tiger’s tail, which is often camouflaged within the background scenery, while the protagonist regularly shouts, “A TIGER!” displayed in large-type font. Teachers can use this book to lead their listening audiences in re-creating the boy’s actions as he sometimes creeps and crawls, yet at other times he boldly races to the surprising conclusion. This tale will be a boon to creative minds everywhere and a participatory storytime winner.” (School Library Journal, starred review)
“It’s not easy to find a picture book with this level of verbal and visual sophistication that manages to remain kid-friendly to even the littlest lap readers.…Artist Jeremy Tankard has impeccable timing, moving rhythmically through a book that alternates relaxation…with delicious comic terror…The cartoony quality of words and pictures keeps the tiger from being too scary. ‘It’s a Tiger!’ comes to a sweet surprise ending that, with luck, may lead to a swampy sequel.” (The Boston Globe)