TIGRESS

Cowcher continues to present environmental concerns (Rain Forest, 1989, etc.)—here, with a tigress that comes out of a forest sanctuary to kill a bullock, and later a camel. In brilliant, beautifully composed paintings, the author depicts the other animals' fear as the monkeys call a warning; the poignant distress of a herdsman who depended on the bullock for his own livelihood; and the splendidly beautiful tiger and her full-grown cubs. As in Cowcher's other fine books, only the conclusion is a little weak: the ranger persuades the people to help frighten the tigress back into the sanctuary (using firecrackers) rather than poison her, but there's no hint of whether the sanctuary is adequate to her needs. Still, a stunningly beautiful book that addresses an important issue with compassion—and with more balance and subtlety than its predecessors. (Picture book. 4+)