Tyger! Tyger!
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Written and illustrated by Elizabeth Stanley
32 pages |
About the Book
In the ancient country of Siam, a very old monk wandered into the jungle late one night to prepare himself for the next world. He lay down under a tangled tree, cradled in its roots, and slept.
When sunlight filtered through the jungle’s dense canopy, a newborn tiger cub could be seen, curled beneath the tree. It was wrapped in the old monk’s saffron robe ...
Tyger! Tyger! is a beautiful picture book about the tigers living in the jungles of Thailand. For hundreds of years the tigers ruled their own kingdom, respected as the guards and spiritual guardians of the jungle. But then the poachers came, capturing the tigers for their pelts and their carcasses, and extinction became a distinct possibility. It was at this moment that a monk in a nearby monastery received a message in prayer that he should find the orphaned tiger cubs and create a sanctuary for them.
This moving and richly illustrated fable is largely rooted in fact. Currently in Thailand there is a tiger conservation program through which many tigers live in harmony with the monks who are their protectors and caretakers. Local villagers also look out for the tigers by donating large numbers of chickens to feed them.
Elizabeth Stanley visited the monastery that provide the tigers with sanctuary in order to view the program and collect material for her story and illustrations.
Awards and Reviews
“Both children and adults will be moved by this beautifully illustrated fable.” – Animal Welfare Institute
“Tyger! Tyger! demonstrates the physical connection and the spiritual bond between humans and animals, illustrated in rich blues, oranges, and greens and velvety textures. The beautiful and ‘fearful symmetry’ of the tigers, the two-page spreads, and the darkness lifted by the tigers and the monks’ images are riveting.” – Multicultural Review
“…[A] one-of-a-kind picturebook for anyone who has ever admired the tiger.” – Children’s Bookwatch
