The Tyger [Library Binding]

William Blake (Author), Neil Waldman (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

receives a beautiful and powerful rendition in a series of vibrant images, each showing only a portion of the entire animal, which is fully revealed in a final four-page gatefold illustration.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Sophisticated illustrations of the roaming "tyger" amid the "forests of the night" accompany Blake's famous poem. Shadowy black-and-gray spreads feature window-like insets of the dazzling color compositions for which Waldman ( Light ; America the Beautiful ) is noted, and each of these highlights one particular image--stars shooting across the skies; a woolly blue lamb; red-gold and velvet-black tiger stripes. The effect is a little like a lightning flash illuminating one small patch within a field of murky darkness. A naive stillness renders the creatures and their landscape symbolic, not quite real, vaguely mysterious. A full-color pull-out spread has special impact. Blake's poem is difficult in itself and, unfortunately, these stylized illustrations do little to bring his imagery within children's comprehension. Adults may be intrigued by Waldman's interpretation, but it does not work hand-in-hand with the text. All ages.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4 Up-Both the darkness of the night and the brightness of the Tyger are addressed in this outstanding picture-book version of Blake's classic poem. Its antiquity is preserved in the calligraphic typeset, which resembles the poet's handwritten text for his illustrated works. Waldman's acrylic artwork, however, is modern, highly painterly, and formal. A full-color mural of the Tyger is revealed at the end, in a fold-out spread that spans four pages. Each double-page spread leading up to it is a section of the larger canvas done in black and shades of gray; a couplet appears on each verso, and is faced by a corresponding element of the painting on the recto, framed and in full color. Readers see the brilliantly colored beast-first in parts, such as paw or tail; then its face; then in totality. The lamb of the verse is also pictured in a full-color frame. The focus on individual portions of the whole gives readers an opportunity to study "The Tyger" carefully, and to discuss the artist's interpretation. Even the eye and hand of God are shown, pictured as mystical and disembodied metaphoric manifestations. An excellent choice for anyone studying the poem.
Ruth K. MacDonald, Quinnipiac College, Hamden, CT
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Library Binding
• Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books (J); 1st edition (October 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152923756
• ISBN-13: 978-0152923754
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #965,015 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Poetic Justice, March 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Tyger (Library Binding)

I was introduced to this picture book in my Children's Literature class. The illustrations are vivid and thought provoking. This book is a beautiful extension of William Blake's classic poem and I reccommend it for children of all ages.