January 20, 2020
From sister-founded letterpress card and design studio Hello!Lucky comes a sparky benediction of sorts, encouraging young readers to believe in their tigerlike strength. Sabrina Moyle’s rhyming text strikes a balance between bubbly incitation (“No matter who you choose/ to be, you’ll be/ TERRR-IFIC./ Wait and see!”) and gentle caution (“You’ll make mistakes./ Things will go wrong./ And when they do,/ you’ll carry on”). The verse remains buoyant throughout and, together with the stylized illustrations, maintains the feel of a long-form greeting card. Printed in inviting, fluorescent colors, Eunice Moyle’s artwork conveys the same expressiveness and amplitude as does the text—the wide-eyed, cartoonish tiger in one spread is drawn as a soft, thoughtful friend with “smarts and heart”; in another, a “fierce... rising star.” An exclamatory celebration of inner strength and possibility. All ages.
January 15, 2020
Go ahead. Judge this book by the cover. On a softly psychedelic background, a cartoon-style tiger greets readers with a wonderfully cheesy smile that is every orthodontist's dream. A sticker reads: "The PERFECT gift for every milestone!" In text uniformly presented in the second person, each spread inside gives readers a boost. "Because you're / FIERCE. / A rising star! / You've earned your stripes. / You've come so far! / No matter who you choose / to be, you'll be / TERR-IFIC. / Wait and see!" (Even though the text is in verse, it's not always laid out accordingly.) Readers are encouraged to "find your place" and to "do your part" but also to "be humble," to "land on your paws" in times of trouble, to help new friends, and to "use your strength to shine a light / on what is wrong and what is RIGHT." A white tiger with multicolored stripes encourages further growth: "To your spirit you'll stay true, never sorry to be you. / But CHANGE YOUR STRIPES / if they don't suit you. / Dare to swap them--we'll salute you." Most spreads contain a complete four-line rhythmic and rhyming stanza in second person. A variety of other animals join the tiger in its shining moment. The book's open commercial appeal doesn't mask its effectiveness. Congratulatory cheerleading and wise whimsy to celebrate accomplishments of all sorts. (Picture book. 4-8, all ages)
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February 14, 2020
K-Gr 2-In line with the aphorism, 'Go get 'em, Tiger!' the main character in this book is a tiger. Other cheerfully illustrated animals provide the tiger with support in a wide variety of affirming situations. For instance, mice paint a rainbow of stripes on tiger for staying unapologetically true to its spirit, although the animal is not afraid to change its stripes if necessary. Each page contains a similar empowering or congratulatory sentiment. Ebullient composition, digitally illustrated with bright and neon colors, fill the pages with energy. The text is bold, not too wordy, and uses key words and phrases, like "land on your paws" and "fur-ious" illustrated in colorful script for emphasis. This book was created by the team behind the greeting card company Hello!Lucky, which also makes board books. While this book does have a gift vibe, it still could have a place on library bookshelves. VERDICT The dynamic illustrations may attract young readers, and the message is universally affirming to all readers.-Mindy Hiatt, Salt Lake County Library Services
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