The Tiptoeing Tiger
Written and Illustrated by Philippa Leathers
Nearly every kid can identify with the feeling of powerlessness because of their size and age. Little tiger sees how “sleek, silent, and totally terrifying” large tigers can be. He wants to be all that. So he practices. The boar can hear him a mile away and is not terrified. The elephant finds him much too small. The monkeys just laugh at him. When he sneaks up on a frog, he sees his reflection and finally scares someone – himself.
The illustrations show an adorable tiger cub in action – tiptoeing around and being as sneaky as possible. Small touches of humor add to the enjoyment – like the deer, bird, and mice who are not at all frightened. When big brother walks through, even the snakes scurry away.
This is probably most effective as a read aloud, so kids can sneak along with Little Tiger and discuss the positive things Little Tiger has going for him. Even as independent reading, it’s a lot of fun.
Title: The Tiptoeing Tiger- Author/Illustrator: Philippa Leathers
- Published: Candlewick Press, 2018
- Reviewer: Sue Poduska
- Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
- Grade Level: PreK to 2
- Genre: Picture Book, Humor, On Being Small
- SBN: 978-0-7636-8843-1