Tiger on a Tree by Anushka Ravishankar

A. Bibliography
Ravishankar, Anushka. 1997. Tiger on a Tree. Chennai, India: Tara Publishing. ISBN 0-374-37555-0

B. Plot Summary
After swimming a wide river and chasing an antelope; an inquisitive tiger quickly climbs a tree to escape when the antelope charges. Soon a man with a net spies the tiger amongst the high branches and calls to his friends. The tiger is trapped as more men gather to ogle him. Astonished, excited, and a little afraid of the tiger that is stuck in a tree; the men soon begin discussing what to do about the unusual circumstances. "Get him! Net him! Tie him tight!" they shout. After they capture the tiger the men are at a loss as to what to do next. "Send him to the zoo? Stick him up with glue? Paint him an electric blue?" What will the men do with the tiger? And who is more afraid; the men or the tiger?

C. Critical Analysis
Ravishankar's simple, rhyming text emphasizes the story being told through the double-page-spread, award winning illustrations of Pulak Biswas. Done entirely in tiger-colored orange, white, and black the Indian setting of the book is emphasized by the ink-black men, some with bamboo wind instruments, some with drums. Dressed only in white cloths tied loosely at their waists, the orange sun blazing overhead, the excitement and astonishment at finding the tiger comes alive in the men's faces and the thick black words run up, down and over the pages as, fear showing plainly in his eyes, the tiger paces, looking for an escape route. Preschoolers will join in the excitement of the capture in this American Library Association Notable Book, and cheer when the men set the tiger free to swim back across the river to safety.

D. Review excerpts
School Library Journal: "PreSchool-Grade 2--A curious tiger swims across a river and roams the forest looking for adventure. Frightened by the cry of a small animal, he climbs a tree. A group of dhoti-garbed village men discovers him and decides to capture him. After placing a large net around the tree, they blow horns and bang drums to create a racket, eventually scaring the creature down. Now the men have a problem: What should they do with the animal? "Send him to the zoo?/Stick him up with glue?/Paint him an electric blue?" Finally, they decide to set him free. The appealing illustrations are naive, childlike, and dramatic. Biswas uses a limited palette of black, white, and orange to create vivid scenes. The faces of the human characters are filled with personality and expression, while the tiger's emotions are conveyed through his body language and eyes. The simple text curves playfully across the pages, adding to the sense of motion in the artwork. This tale from India can be paired with Helen Bannerman's The Story of Little Babaji."

Booklist: "PreS. First published in India in 1997 and an international prizewinner at the Bratislava Biennale of Illustrations, this very simple chanting story is perfect for reading aloud with young preschoolers. A tiger lopes along the shore until a deer suddenly scares him, rousing him to take shelter in a tree, where the villagers find him. They are scared of him ("Will he bite? He might!"), but they trap him in a net ("Get him! Net him! Tie him tight!"). Now what? Someone suggests they set the tiger free, and they agree: "Let him go!" The words in thick, black type are part of the action, and the thickly stroked illustrations, mostly black and white, have occasional splashes of orange: in the sun, on the tiger's back, and in the net that traps him. The comedic drama blends smoothly with the conservation message in deliciously scary sound words and pictures that will make this a favorite for sharing again and again."

E. Connections
Books to use in preschool storytime with Tiger on a Tree:
Excuse Me, Is This India by Anushka Ravishankar
The Road to Mumbai by Ruth Jeyaveeran