Little Tiger ISBN 9781848694514 £10.99
This picture book is dedicated to all those who have ever had a bugbear of their own. So begins a delightful, literal interpretation of this lovely expression as a sleeping bear is troubled by a pesky – albeit very friendly – little bug who wants to make a home in his snug fur. The more Bear tries to shake him off and get rid of him, the funnier the little bug finds it. It is only when Bear bemoans being chosen over all the other forest creatures, that bug comments on his grumpiness. Luckily wise Owl hears the resulting ‘cri de coeur’ from Bear and comes up with the perfect solution for all. This enjoyable narrative is written in rhyming couplets which adds both momentum and extra humour to the tale. ‘World-weary’, ‘kerfuffle’ and ‘Can I be of service?’ are all interesting words and phrases to be explored in YR/Y1, along with all the adjectives used to describe bear and his fur. Children will enjoy the comical illustrations of different scale which convey Bear’s discomfort beautifully, while the addition of the little paper bugs inside the cover would enable dramatic reconstructions of the story along with the children passing them around in a circle to talk of their own bugbears. Mine would be why oh why mix small and capital letters randomly in a text aimed at children at the time when that concept is being taught?
Sue Barrett, retired teacher and lecturer
