Tiger Tiger by Jonny Lambert
| Tiger Tiger by Jonny Lambert | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Sam Tyler
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| Summary: Rediscover what is around you through the eyes of Old Tiger and Young Cub in this infectious and fun children's book all about getting the most out of life. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 32 | Date: February 2017 |
| Publisher: Little Tiger Press | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1848694446 | |
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Until you spend a day hanging out with a child you will never know how exhausting it can be. As an adult you are used to peppering your day with little downtime treats; a cup of tea perhaps, a biscuit, or maybe even a cheeky nap? The kids I know have no end of energy and at best you will get a sip of cold coffee, have to give them most of the biscuit and a nap would consist of them jumping on your head. However, although their enthusiasm and zest may be tiring, it is also infectious, just ask any old tiger you meet.
Old Tiger is a bit of a grump so the last person he wants to spend his day with is Little Cub. For Tiger a walk through the jungle is the same old thing, but for Cub everything is new and exciting. Whose attitude will rub off on the other? Will Old Tiger learn to see the world in full colour once more, or will Little Cub become jaded?
One of the benefits of having a child that people don't always tell you about is the enjoyment you get experiencing life through them. When was the last time that you marvelled at the sheer wonderment of a balloon, or spent twenty minutes just enjoying the way the word apple sounds in your mouth? Tiger Tiger by Jonny Lambert has done an extraordinarily impressive thing and managed to capture this feeling in a book, but with fewer humans and more tigers.
The story on offer will be instantly recognisable to anybody who has had children, grandchildren or even babysat a relative. Mini bundles of joy are also mini bundles of toil. It is all too easy to be like Old Tiger and frown about having to explain everything and be active. However, like the grumpy Old Tiger, we also realise that following our own Little Cub around is great fun.
The central premise of the book is great, but Lambert commits in other areas too. As an illustrator he is able to bring his own style and skill to the drawings in the book. The use of colour is fantastic; there are plenty of jungle greens, but they are also peppered with colourful animals and flowers. The book also benefits from the large format; the hardback is something to cherish as the images really come to life.
Being an illustrator, Lambert maight have fallen a little in storytelling, but here also, he manages to go a step further than most. There is a noticeable use of descriptive language as each double spread opens with words such as Dart! Dash! Rush! Not just your normal descriptive words that you would expect to see in a picture book title, but something that will develop and enrich a child's language skills.
Tiger, Tiger is a success on every level from the wonderful central theme, to the drawings, to the words used. The tale opens up as the tigers see the wonders contained in the jungle and as a reader you cannot help but feel the joy too. This is the type of children's book that will be enjoyed by both adult and child, perhaps bringing them a little bit closer together at the same time.
There are some great children's books starring animals that fill you with joy including Bear Counts by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman and There's a Bison Bouncing on the Bed by Paul Bright and Chris Chatterton.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Tiger Tiger by Jonny Lambert at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Tiger Tiger by Jonny Lambert at Amazon.com.
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