I AM A TIGER

This mouse has moxie.

The titular “tiger” of Newson and Collins’ imaginative tale may have been born a mouse, but it’s a mouse made up of equal parts imagination and chutzpah. As the story begins, the unnamed, ungendered mouse proclaims proudly: “I am a tiger.” As a series of woodland animals begin to argue with the mouse, its claims of tigerhood grow more and more outlandish (and more humorous). When the expected tiger makes its appearance, the mouse doesn’t bat an eye as it declares, “You’re not a tiger. You’re a mouse!” And so begins the second half of the book as the mouse uses its zany logic to define the other animals in the story. The conclusion is open-ended, and readers hungry for more will extend the silliness on their own and hope for a sequel. Newson’s fearless tone and Collins’ humorous illustrations are a winning combination. The bold cartoons, set against bright, solid-colored backgrounds, are vibrant enough to be seen from the back of the classroom or storyhour room, and the expressions of each animal will definitely inspire rounds of giggles. Fans of David LaRochelle and Mike Wohnoutka’s Moo! (2013) and Kevin Sherry’s I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean (2007) will add this title to their list of favorites.

This is one terrific book.