Customer Reviews

The Tiniest Tiger

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
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All creatures long for a place to call home and in this tender read by author, Joanne L. McGonagle, we meet an alley kitten who stumbles upon a zoo and begins a quest searching for where she would belong. We travel with this precious kitten as she asks each wild cat she meets if she belongs with them. Amongst them are lions, tigers, leopards, and cheetahs that our kitten encounters as she searches for her identity, and the place where she belongs. We learn some important facts about each wild cat, and see their characteristics. It is the wise tiger who gives the kitten wisdom and points her in the right direction to find happiness.
This is a very good read. It is educational and gives learning information in a fun way. The illustrations are bright and colorful and the ending brings a smile. A very well written tale and great learning experience. A book that young and old will surely enjoy.

A lovely book that will delight the heart of any child. It tells a delightful story that reminds me of the tales I listened to as a child. The tale finds a way of telling a story and at the same time teaching children about the Cat family as a whole. I loved every page. My one minor(very minor) quibble was that I felt that the drawings weren't as clean and neat as some other children's book that I have seen. But like I said this is a very minor quibble and is very likely that my expectations are based on my being a member of the Walt Disney and CGI generation. But in fact the more I think of it, the rougher nature of the drawings are actually part of its charm. So no complaints. I will happily pass this on to my young cousins who will love reading this nice tale.

The Tiniest Tiger is a book with multiple messages; one about belonging and another about conservation. This book focuses on the different species of big cats and one small, domestic cat who notices that she has things in common with all of them, but cannot seem to find one with enough in common to feel at home.

One of the important messages in this book is achieving a sense of belonging. The main character in this book is a little kitten who wants to find some other cat with whom to relate. She goes from one big cat to the next after wandering into a zoo and she has no luck finding the right companion, but she continues to try and she politely accepts the advice of each of the big cats to consider a different species of cat. Each of the big cats, while they do reject the little kitten because she isn't exactly like them, are still very nice, reciprocating the politeness of the kitten as she searches for another cat with whom to identify.

Most children's books contain messages about social norms, so this is nothing new. But The Tiniest Tiger has another message that is less commonplace but still very important: That big cats are all listed on endangered species lists and they need to be protected so they don't disappear from the planet. Each time the little kitten visits another big cat, a fact sheet is present and in every instance, the word Endangered is printed at the top of the list, in bold, red letters. This is intended to bring attention to the fact that all big cats are endangered to one degree or another. Following the endangerment warning is a list of facts about each big cat, like it body length, weight, life span, litter size, and level of endangerment status. The fact sheet even includes a map of the world showing the cat's habitat in the wild. These facts serve to educate young readers on the key differences between these big cats, showing that the differences are more than just the physical appearance, which is often the only way that most people know one big cat from another.

The illustrations in The Tiniest Tiger are nice and they offer a look that is a little different from other children's books. Instead of relying on computer images and well- defined lines, these illustrations look like sketches that have been hand painted in someone's home. They are not as precise in design as the illustrations in other children's book, but they fit the book and its message just fine. The only thing I don't like about the illustrations is the pairs of pages with no illustrations. With each big cat encounter, the little kitten is pictured with the big cat and the fact sheet, but there are no words. The conversation between the two, and the results that occur, are covered on the next pair of pages, which include no illustrations at all. I surmise that The Tiniest Tiger was illustrated in this manner so that young readers would focus solely on the fact sheets and learn about these different cats. But it still would have looked better if the blank sheets had some type of illustration and not just words.

The Tiniest Tiger is, overall, a very nice children's book with several important messages. This book wants children to understand the issues of belonging, but more important than that, The Tiniest Tiger is a book about the importance of conservation as it relates to the world's big cats. From tigers to bobcats, big cats are a threatened species of animal and a concerted effort is needed so that the big cats, much like the little kitten in this book, can eventually find a safe habitat of their own.

For a children's book to really be effective, to say something to the child, to engage the child's sense of wonder, the book must in some way relate to the concerns a child might have. But it must do so in a way that frightens neither the child nor its parents. Here we have a little kitten chasing a butterfly until, completely wrapped up in her play, she finds herself lost.

This is the sort of thing that could happen to a child. When I was four years old I followed the sight of a blimp until, with eyes on the sky, I found myself stuck in the La Brea Tar Pits of Los Angeles! Two paper boys heard my cries and, laying planks of wood out upon the tar, managed to pull me out.

In "The Tiniest Tiger" the kitten goes into a zoo to find a home among the big cats there only to be gently guided from one big cat to the other. Each cat says that yes little kitten you have markings and such that you might grow up to be like me, but probably not. Go and try the next cat.

And so the little kitten goes from the tiger to the lion to the cheetah to the leopard...and so on until she is found by the zoo keeper's daughter and welcomed into their home where a cat with her markings named Hazel also lives.

A nice touch in this gently illustrated book are signs at the zoo giving various facts about the big cats, such as their size and how long they live and whether they are endangered or not along with a little map showing the extent of their range in the wild.

I loved this book. I can't wait to have children and read it to them. It is a great way to explain to children about endangered species.

I'm a collector of cat books as well as cat memorabilia of all kinds! So, needless to say, I was pleased to receive my copy of The Tiniest Tiger by Joanne L. McGonagle. I am delighted to add it to my library! This is a children's book; however, I must say it is so much more!

The storyline is sweet and will be a delight to share with young children! I suggest that you read it or help your child read it through the first time. Why? Well, there is a major emphasis on large cats all being endangered. As each new cat is introduced, statistics are provided regarding the normal size and litter and a small map is provide to show where each cat normally lives. This information will be very beneficial in teaching children about animal conservation; however, younger children will need some assistance in understanding the "sign" that appears on specific pages.

The tiniest tiger is a striped shorthair domestic kitten that has been playfully led astray by a butterfly. She thankfully winds up near a zoo and notices that there are large cats there. Surely she can find a place to live with them and so she first finds a tiger and asks if she can live with her.

At this point, I must admit that my personal attention was immediately drawn to the paintings of the cats. In addition to the beautiful cover, there are 15 two-page spreads in this book, 9 of which show wonderful detailed color portraits by Rachel Mahaffey of the 8 endangered cats. I studied the details in each painting, and found them excitingly specific to show the differences between the big cats. I believe your children will find many happy hours going through the pages as the little cat was sent around the zoo, trying to find a home. As I continued the story, I knew that the comparison to each of the cats was instinctual as well as part of the story. My own cats will seek, first, to build friendships with those of the same color and length of hair when they are old enough to be on their own. And then they work to become part of the overall larger group. It will be fun to read along with your child, to study the details of each of the big cats and see how they differ from each other as well as the little kitten.

Yes, of course, the tiniest tiger finds a home right there at the zoo. Which big cat do you think adopted her? You are in for a surprise if you choose the Bobcat!

Please note that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of The Tiniest Tiger will benefit conservation projects for endangered wild cats.

I admit it--I thoroughly enjoyed The Tiniest Tiger! If you are a "cat" person, are concerned about conservation of our wild life, or have a child or grandchild with whom you want to share the joy of reading and learning...then, by all means, this book is for you! Enjoy!

The Tiniest Tiger is a softcover picturebook about a kitten who becomes lost in a zoo, and befriends a number of her big cat distant relatives. Young readers get to learn about endangered cat species such as tigers, lions, ocelots, jaguars and more. At last the "tiniest tiger" kitten is adopted by the family of the zookeeper and befriends the domestic cat in their home. The gentle color illustrations and message of conservation make The Tiniest Tiger a wonderful giftbook for young cat lovers everywhere.

5 Stars...
Perfect for children ages 4-8.
The Tiniest Tiger is a wonderful and charming tale of a small kitten who becomes lost while chasing a butterfly. And in the process of looking for a new home ends up at the zoo and eventually finds the perfect home. The story is beautifully illustrated and filled with interesting facts about endangered cats and I would very much recommend it as a great way to teach small children about nature and conservation...

A small kitten loses her way after chasing a butterfly from the alley she lives in. She finds herself at the zoo in an area labeled "Big Cat Section." The small kitten decides to enter to see if she can find a new home.

In the zoo, the kitten comes across a variety of cats: tigers, jaguars, pumas, and other species of felines. She asks each of the big cats if she can live with them, and each time the cat refers her to another cat who may be able to help her. After every other cat refuses her request, the kitten finds herself back at the tiger, who takes pity and lets her sleep with her.

The next morning, a little girl notices the "tiniest tiger" sleeping in the tiger habitat and wants to take her home.

THE TINIEST TIGER is the work of Joanne L. McGonagle, who is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book to conservation projects aimed at big cats throughout the world.

Each time the kitten meets a new cat, key information about the cat is nearby on a sign. The information included is about the cat's size, life span, litter size, and their status on the endangered species list.

The author of THE TINIEST TIGER seeks to teach as well as entertain young readers with this fun tale.

Reviewed by: JodiG.

One sunny day a kitten chased a butterfly, paying little attention to where it wandered. When the kitten lost sight of the butterfly, the kitten suddenly realized that she did not know the way back home. She found herself close to the zoo. When she saw a sign for the big cat section, she thought she might find a home with the cats at the zoo.

The kitten soon discovered that the big cats were big! First, she met a tiger, but the tiger thought perhaps kitten should check with lion. Unfortunately, the lion thought the kitten had better talk to Cheetah. Each big cat that kitten talked to compared the kitten to itself, but thought the kitten belonged somewhere else. Where does kitten belong?

As kitten wanders from cat to cat, we see large signs describing key facts about each cat and their status in the world. Unfortunately, all the big cats that kitten meets are endangered, and some may be risking extinction. These signs are a clever way to introduce young children to the concept of wildlife conservation and the role that people play, both in harming and in protecting animals.

Of course, kitten is in danger too, as kitten, just like the big cats in the story, needs protection to be safe. Will kitten find a permanent safe home? How can the big cats of the world be safe with increasing human population and pollution? While Joanne McGonagle's book may answer the question regarding the safety of kitten, the answers for big cats may await the goodwill of the children that read this book and others like them.

This book is an excellent learning tool. Adults can explain to children how all animals need places to live, and that sometimes people need to share the world for animals to have a home. The kitten's need for a safe place to live mirrors the need of wild animals everywhere. I enjoyed this book and its effective story. I think children everywhere will find this simple story compelling and interesting, and may help children to start thinking about being good stewards for our planet.

Enjoy!