Once Upon a Tiger

John Bolton
16 minutes ago
3 min read

Wr. & Ill. Sarah Massini

Pub. Simon & Schuster

Age Range 3+

Once Upon a Tiger follows a grumpy tiger who pushes others away because he is anxious and lacks confidence, only to discover his own bravery when he cares for three lost children. The message of the book is that people are more than they may first appear. When the story starts, Tiger believes he is weak because he feels afraid, but he learns that courage comes in different forms - such as kindness, responsibility and helping others. That's a gorgeous message for any class read 😊.

But more than that, it's a perfect classroom text to explore themes of identity, courage, friendship, belonging, and emotional wellbeing. Here are the themes I pulled out, with some ideas of how to use them in the classroom.

Hidden Feelings and Emotional Wellbeing

At the beginning, Tiger appears grumpy, growling and avoiding others. However, we discover that his behaviour is driven by anxiety and insecurity rather than meanness. He feels "jittery" and "jumpy" around others and worries they will discover he is not brave like other tigers. Class discussions might include how people sometimes hide their true feelings, and the difference between behaviour and emotions. Questions to support those discussions might include: why does Tiger seem grumpy? How might Tiger be feeling inside? Have you ever acted differently from how you really felt?

Courage and Fear

Tiger believes bravery means being fearless, but throughout the story, he learns that courage means doing the right thing despite being scared. He is frightened of the city, but he faces that fear to help the children return home. Class discussions might include the difference between bravery and fearlessness, and the difference in Tiger's understanding of courage at the beginning and the end of the book.

Kindness and Caring for Others

Although Tiger wants to be left alone in the beginning, he gradually develops an affection for the children. He comforts them when they cry and goes out of his comfort zone to help them reunite with their families. Class discussions might include acts of kindness, or linking events in the story with your school's values (which probably include kindness and courage!).

Friendship and Trust

The relationship between Tiger and the children develops naturally. The children do not judge Tiger, and their friendship helps Tiger to see himself differently by the end of the story. Class discussions might include how friendships are formed, and what makes a good friend.

Belonging and Identity

Tiger struggles with the idea that he is not like other tigers. Throughout the story, he discovers that he can be brave, caring and kind whilst still being himself. By the end, he also recognises where he belongs. Class discussions might include the idea of being yourself, and what makes us unique.

Home and Community

The story contrasts two homes - Tiger's natural, wild environment, and the children's busy city. Neither is inherently presented as better. Rather, the book shows that people and animals can care for one another while belonging in different places. Class discussions might include comparing urban and rural environments, and talking about what "home" means.

Behind the Scenes - Illustrating "Once Upon a Tiger"

Sarah Massini told me: "The way Tiger looks evolved from trying to get the most out of my swooshy texture-laden style - so that he would be expressive and full of movement, and colourful too, of course. So lots of loose watercolour washes. I made 100s of sploshy stripes for him, but used only a handful of the best ones. The watercolour is underpinned by a pencil outline, drawn during the rough process. I always keep my rough line in the final art, because, again, that’s where the movement is. I was guided by stacks of photographic reference of tigers sitting, standing, sleeping, lying and leaping. It reads like a recipe doesn’t it? Tiger is an alchemy of brush and pencil stokes, mixed together and coloured in Photoshop."

You can see some of Sarah's work in the gallery below - exclusive to Classreads!