A TIGER’S TALE
I really like this book and the fact that it has so many particular stories inside! I enjoyed all the stories but I liked ‘Girish the Grumpy Gaur’ the most out of the stories, due to the reason that the story ends happily and the gaur achieves his dreams. I did not find a single story that I did not like!
I really liked the characters, especially Tulsi and Poppy and how in the stories the characters always fix their problems. I think the characters are in some cases nice and in others horrible, but at the end of the story the specific character always become nicer.
I think the quality of the stories are to a very high standard. What I mean is that they are not just some sort of blabber, they are real stories with a point. I think the illustrations are very nice but some younger children might find them a bit boring due to the fact that they are just black and white.
In conclusion I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to my friends and family. I would also give this book a four- and a half star rating as I think the stories themselves are very thought out and entertaining, but the images are not coloured; now I personally don’t mind this but I think my younger sisters would.
Reviewed by Saira Mahmud, age 12
TIGER, TIGER BURNING BRIGHT
Imagine a world without cheetahs, giraffes, or polar bears. It’s hard to believe that illegal hunting, global warming, and habitat destruction means these animals are at risk of being wiped out. Now, imagine a world where the only surviving tiger on planet earth is living out the autumn years of his life in a zoo. This is the fascinating premise of Doctor Chet Trivedy’s delightful book Tulsi the Tiger and Stories of his Jungle Friends.
Although Tulsi is used to life in a zoo he still misses his friends and consoles himself with memories of the lions, rhinos, and other tigers he grew up with in the jungles of India. He lives contentedly in a little garden hut where he whiles away the time in his “rickety rocking chair, drinking dandelion tea” and munching on pickled egg and cucumber sandwiches. It’s during one of his R&R sessions that Tulsi is befriended by Poppy, a little girl who visits the zoo with her teddy bear. Their conversations open the door to magical adventures and a bond that will last a lifetime.
Doctor Trevedy’s book is charming, educational, and poignant. Tulsi’s plight, as the world’s only living tiger, is a tragedy for him and an indictment of humanity’s thoughtlessness towards the environment. The jungle which he knew as a cub has all but disappeared as the trees, exotic plants, and lush vegetation are cleared to make room for supermarkets and concrete highways. The surviving animals are elderly and past their best, yet like Tulsi they too cling to their memories of how things used to be. Recollections are meant to be shared and when Tulsi tells his stories about the different animals, he’s not just doing it for Poppy’s entertainment but he’s also preparing her for the future by taking her into the past. It is Poppy’s generation who will ultimately be responsible for protecting the world’s natural habitats and to do that means understanding what could be lost for good. The lesson isn’t wasted as Poppy grows up to become a world-famous conservationist, thanks in large part to Tulsi’s stories about cricket playing cobras, forgetful elephants, brave lions, and a lazy dhole called Darshan.
Writing a children’s book about the environment, is an almighty challenge and Doctor Trivedy has risen magnificently to the occasion. Tulsi the Tiger is a beautifully told story that’s both a conservation manifesto and a celebration of wisdom. Tulsi may be elderly with a memory that isn’t always sharp, but he understands the meaning of loneliness, the importance of being true to oneself, the value of friendship, and the joy of reclaiming his lost teeth! This wonderful book is a first rate read, backed up with delightful illustrations by science fiction writer, artist, and all-round man of talent Derek E Pearson.
Regardless of whether you’re six years old or sixty, Tulsi the Tiger will almost certainly melt your heart.
Reviewed by Juliette Foster
A BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP
I enjoyed this book because it showed me how much fun humans can have with animals. Poppy and Tulsi go on an amazing adventure in the Indian forest and create a wonderful relationship. All the money that is made will be donated to the Tulsi Foundation, as the author was recovering from a stroke whilst writing this fabulous book. I really enjoyed the pictures. They were really well illustrated, but I did think the book was quite long. I would also give this book four stars.
Reviewed by Freya, aged 8
