Tag scaring and being scared

The Tiptoeing Tiger

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The Tiptoeing Tiger
Philippa Leathers
Walker Books

‘Sleek, silent and totally terrifying’; a creature to avoid when it prowls through the forest; that pretty much sums up a tiger.

Not so Little Tiger though. He’s completely ignored, scares no one with his roars and is laughed at by his big brother. “I don’t think you can scare a single animal in the forest.” declares big bro. but Little Tiger is determined to prove him wrong.

Employing a tiptoeing technique off he goes to sneak up on unsuspecting forest inhabitants, the first being Boar. “I could hear you coming a mile away” says the indolent Boar in response to Little Tiger’s “Roar!!!”

He receives similar disappointing comments from Elephant and the monkeys in a tree.

It’s a sad Little Tiger that acknowledges his own shortcomings but remaining determined he heads to the pond. Surely that frog is an altogether better prospect?  Tiptoe, tiptoe, tiptoe …

But the only creature that is in the least bit frightened is the Little Tiger looking right back at him from the water.

Job done! Back he goes to report on his success to that big brother of his.

The whole narrative is beautifully understated and perfectly paced; and the pen and watercolour scenes with that gentle touch of whimsy, the tiptoeing sequences in particular, are absolute delight.

Little Tiger is likely to win almost anyone’s affection from the outset but any waverers will surely be won over by his bold final admission.

Lucie Goose

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Lucie Goose
Danny Baker and Pippa Curnick
Hodder Children’s Books

Lucie Goose is, by all accounts, a reclusive creature residing on the edge of a wood. One day while she’s keeping herself to herself and doing a spot of gardening, out from the shadows creeps a wolf. His “Rraaaarrrrrr”s fail utterly to ruffle her feathers …

and she invites the creature, whom she likens to a woolly sausage, in for a cuppa and a slice of cake, an offer the wolf declines.

Next on the scene is a huge ursine character whose roaring is but a mere brief interruption to her strawberry picking. He too fails to alarm and declines the tea invitation.

Then comes Lion and also roaring, but Lucie has flowers to pick and the ‘fat old carpet’ is singularly unalarming in her eyes and is quickly dispatched leaving the goose pondering upon the notion of scaring and being scared.

Enter another goose, Bruce by name. He doesn’t roar but merely explains the unlikelihood of anybody being scared of a goose.
Polite as she is, Lucie suggests tea and cake and home they go together.

However, there’s a surprise – or should that be three or err – awaiting the geese at Lucie’s house.

This is comedy writer, journalist and radio presenter Danny Baker’s first foray into picture books. I hope it isn’t his last. With its splendid similies and other absurd dialogue his narrative is really funny and I suspect you’ll find it impossible to read it aloud without wanting to break into fits of giggles.
Moreover, the showing, not telling finale and the guests’ final comments leave the audience free to use their own imaginations.
Equally humorous are rising star Pippa Curnick’s illustrations. Her sequences showing the interactions between Lucie and each of the other characters are picture book theatre of the first order.