Review of The Tiniest Tiger, by Joanne L. McGonagle

The Tiniest Tiger is a charming, educational, and beautifully illustrated picture book that should be on the shelf of every library and elementary school class.

While playfully chasing a butterfly, a little kitten finds himself lost in the zoo. As he tries to find his way back home, he meets different types of big cats--lions, tigers, cheetas, pumas, jaguars, bobcats, among others--and learns their distinct characteristics, such as their size, weight, status on the endangered species list, origin, life span, etc. In the process, the kitten learns a lot about the big cats and about himself.

This is a book that both teaches and entertains and carries a valuable message about the beauty of big cats and the importance of saving them from extinction. Some words and concepts may be a bit difficult for younger children to grasp, so this is a book that probably should be read to a child by a parent or a teacher. The illustrations are simply beautiful and give off a feeling of serenity (like the one on the cover). It's never too early to begin teaching children about endangered species and this book will help you do just that.

What I also like about this book is that the author is donating a percentage of the proceeds from the sales to conservation projects for endangered wild cats in Africa, Asia, North America, and South America, through the Conservation Fund of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

The Tiniest Tiger
Booksurge
52 pages
Ages 4-8
Purchase from Amazon.