a book review for the little ones

The Tiniest Tiger by Joanne L. McGonagle.

When I read the e-mail asking if I might be interested in receiving a copy of this book for review, I couldn't believe my eyes. From the brief description of the book, I would have sworn that this book was written specifically for Max. But of course, there are many little cat lovers out there, and I suspect a great many of them would thoroughly enjoy this book.

The book tells the story of a little stray kitten who wanders into the zoo one day. Upon seeing the tiger, she hopes that maybe, just maybe, she's found a home. But the tiger, while friendly, points out the reasons why she can't be a tiger and sends her along to the lions. The scenario repeats itself time after time as each of the wild cats explains to the kitten why she can't be of their species. We visit not only tigers and lions, but cheetahs, clouded leopards, pumas, jaguars, bobcats, and ocelots as well. Throughout the book, as the kitten visits each new cat, we get to view their zoo fact sign and learn more about each wild cat--things like its status, its size, its lifespan, etc.

So, what did the viewing audience think of this book? In his words...

Me: So, what rating does this book get? (The boys always rate picture books on a 1-5 scale, with 5 being the highest.)

Max: A million!

Me: What did you like most about this book?

Max: I liked the kitten. And all the cats.

Me: Did you learn anything from this book?

Max: The signs told me all kinds of things. But I was sad that all the cats were are endangered.

Me: Do you think that other kids would like this book?

Max: Yeah.

Me: Anything else you want to say about the book?

Max: I love it. And I want you to read it to me again.


And as for my favorite thing, let me just quote from the book's introduction:

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of The Tiniest Tiger will benefit conservation projects for endangered wild cats in Africa, Asia, North America, and South America, through the Conservation Fund of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.