MY TIGER

A feline’s taste for sweets spells disaster for his chompers.

As a tiger saunters down the street with an unnamed, brown-skinned young human companion, the two notice a shop full of the big cat’s favorite food: cake. When the baker asks whether the tiger is dangerous, his friend replies, “He only eats cake.” A trip to the dentist is inevitable after one too many sweets causes a toothache. The encounter is unnerving for both parties, and the tiger is advised to avoid cakes for good, leading to an unexpectedly dark yet hilarious ending as the big cat opts for a diet more suited to his needs. New Zealand author Cowley has crafted a vivid story grounded in simplicity, while Barrow adeptly conveys the titular beast’s intimidatingly vast size and imminent danger. The feline playfully contorts his body to fit the page as those around him look on in consternation, and when the child peers into the big cat’s gaping maw, the perspective switches to inside the tiger’s mouth, his jagged teeth filling the page. But Barrow also gives the tiger an expressive, almost childlike face. His human friend’s matter-of-fact, almost deadpan narration will lull readers into a sense of calm before ending on a surprising yet satisfying last note.

A deeply amusing, wonderfully subversive look at defying expectations and watching what you eat.