The Tiniest Tiger

by: Joanne L. McGonagle

Published by: Booksurge

Reviewed by Caryn St. Clair

Author McGonagle has created a most enjoyable vehicle for teaching children several things about the great cats of the world. A small kitten becomes separated from her littermates while chasing butterflies and then while trying to find her way home, wanders into the local zoo. The poor lost kitten goes from one cat to another trying to find where she belongs, only to have how she is different from each cat pointed out to her.

By using a small domestic kitten to visit the various cats at the zoo, the author easily moves the child reading the book from a familiar subject (kittens) to the subject needing to be taught (great cats). The result is a charming book that will serve a fairly broad age range of children.

With the lovely watercolor illustrations and sweet story, The Tiniest Tiger makes an excellent picture book to read aloud to very young children. But this book goes well beyond a picture book. Stretching this book’s usefulness are the wonderful examples of classifications of cats sprinkled throughout as the kitten is compared to each zoo cat. Not only will children learn what makes a tiger a tiger, they will learn what traits a tiger (lion, ocelot etc) does not share with other cats.

Still older children will be interested in the “cat facts” presented as our kitten visits each of the zoo’s cats.

Overall, The Tiniest Tiger is not only a lovely book but one that children will be able to enjoy for years to come.

Author’s Web site: http://www.TheTiniestTiger.com