Customer Reviews

Tiger Tales (DK Readers, Level 3: Reading Alone)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I recently read this book with my son and was utterly appalled, both as a parent and as an educator in the public school system. This is surprising because we own numerous other DK books and I am a huge fan of the series. In addition to the fact that almost every story involves some sort of violence (hardly age-appropriate), a tiger is actually refered to as having been "murdered" (p. 35). Not only is the use of the word "murder" for an animal incorrect usage, it also sets an inappropriate tone in a book where humans are merely "killed" (p. 30; a much weaker word for an actual murder). If this book were not intended for reading alone by young children and if it were not part of a series used by schools, I would be considerably less concerned. Nevertheless, parents considering purchasing this book for their children should be aware that factual information is largely overshadowed by an overwhelmingly heavy-handed political message.

My first grade son brought this home from the library this week and was so excited to read it before bed. We didn't get more than a couple pages in before a tiger is hit by a bus. I started flipping through the other stories to see if this was just a cautionary tale meant to set the backdrop for an informative book about tiger's habitats being encroached. Nope. Instead, I found that every story involved some sort of violence or killing.. I can't imagine how anyone could find this book appropriate for elementary school aged children.

As with most DK Readers for kids, this is a good, balanced introduction to a significant topic.

It looks at the challenges Big Cats face, primarily from the destruction of their environment.

My eight year old liked reading it, and came away feeling that both nature and human beings pose a threat.

I felt the message was presented fairly. On the "pro-human" side, it shows that people have had to kill hungry cats who attack them or their livestock. On the "pro-animal" side, it criticizes poachers who murder (a fair word, in my opinion) a mother cat in order to seize and sell her cubs illegally.

DK Readers have a well deserved reputation for prosenting kids with significant topics in non-fiction. Tiger Tales and Big Cat Stories doesn't disappoint.

My 8-year-old son and I both enjoyed this book. "Tiger Tales" presents a lot of information in text, drawings, photographs, and a map. And I learned something new, too. Do you and your children know why tigers, cheetahs, jaguars, and leopards have stripes or spots but lions and pumas do not? Well, if you don't know, this book is a good source for the answer!