Anshumani Ruddra

An almost stripeless tiger, named Dorje, lives in a monastery in Tibet. One day, he has a new stripe and Master Wu tells the story of Dorje's stripes. Dorje is a Bengal tiger and his breed is becoming extinct. He fled the hunters to find safety in the monastery, but every time a tiger is killed he loses a stripe. Now that he has a new stripe, there is a new tiger in the jungle and hope for the tigers to survive. A brief after note explains the plight of the Royal Bengal tigers.

The show more watercolors are attractive, but I found it difficult to picture an audience for this story. The message is heavy-handed and although the story ends with hope, it rings false, since there's no information given about how the tigers are supposed to survive. Is Tibet a suitable place for a tiger sanctuary? Are the tigers supposed to save themselves, as Dorje and assumedly the new female tiger, do?

Verdict: The watercolor illustrations are lovely, but the story is too meandering and mystical for my taste. I'd rather see either a straightforward fiction picture book about tigers or a factual presentation of their current status and ways kids can help, if the book is being targeted to kids.

ISBN: 9781935279983; Published March 2011; Review copy provided by Kane Miller show less

Stunning and poignant, beautifully illustrated picture book from India.