Do You Know Tigers? (Do You Know?). Alain M. Bergeron, Michel Quintin & Sampar. Illustrated by Sampar. Translated by Solange Messier. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2015. 64 pp., pbk., $9.95. ISBN 978-1-55455-355-6. Subject Headings: Tigers-Juvenile literature. Graphic novels. Grades 3-6 / Ages 8-12. Review by Claire Perrin. **** /4

excerpt:

Most people know that tigers are excellent hunters and are an endangered species. But did you know that a tiger’s roar can be heard from 3 kilometers away, or that tigers fight each other for the chance to mate with a female? Do you think tigers always catch their prey? Wrong! They are only successful 5% of the time!

Do You Know Tigers? provides information about one of the world’s most fascinating mammals in a very entertaining way. Several factual sentences about tigers are written at the bottom of each page supported by humorous cartoon illustrations, complete with speech balloons and sound effects, at the top of the page. Award-winning illustrator Sampar (Samuel Parent) interprets the facts in such a hilarious manner that you need several minutes to appreciate all the humour in the illustrations. The anthropomorphized animals stand on two legs and speak in one-liners to each other.

Because they occasionally attack humans, lions have been deemed “man eaters." Tigers, on the other hand, generally avoid contact with humans. There are approximately 50 to 100 human deaths by tigers around the world each year, mostly in India.

(Two tigers conversing in the illustrations while gazing at a large tourist asleep on a beach chair: “You want me to eat him? You’re crazy!”

“I brought ketchup. It’ll be fine.”

     On a more serious note, the final pages deal with the issue of why tigers are endangered: poachers and pollution threaten their existence at an alarming rate. There are only 1000 tigers left in India and three of the subspecies have become extinct. This information provides an excellent opportunity to enter into a discussion about how to protect tigers (and other endangered species) and how to deter poachers.

      Do You Know Tigers? is part of the “Do You Know?” series by authors Alain Bergeron and Michel Quintin that aims to enlighten readers about the lesser-known facts about some unusual creatures. Other animals that have been featured in the series are porcupines, toads, crocodiles, chameleons and leeches. This book will appeal to animal lovers and reluctant readers. The text is simple enough for children in grade 3, but the appeal is wide enough that older children will want to read this series as well.

Highly Recommended.

Claire Perrin is an elementary teacher in the Toronto District School Board.

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