{"id":5337525319,"title":"Raj the Bookstore Tiger","handle":"raj-the-bookstore-tiger","description":"\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/kathleen-t-pelley\" title=\"Kathleen T. Pelley bio\"\u003eKathleen T. Pelley\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/paige-keiser\" title=\"Paige Keiser bio\"\u003ePaige Keiser\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHear Raj roar!\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeing a bookstore tiger is hard work. There’s much patrolling, and a lot of sitting in laps at story hour, and then there’s sleeping in the window display. But Raj is up to the task. He is fierce and proud—until Snowball comes along. The new cat in the bookstore informs Raj that he’s just a marmalade kitty-cat. Times get tough, then, for the bookstore tiger. But bookstore and Raj owner Felicity, with the help of poet William Blake, knows how to fix things. In turn, with a very special book, Raj is able to fix things with Snowball.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaige Keiser’s quirky, intimate illustrations invite readers to curl up and share a story—with their own tigers or a friend.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/a-crow-of-his-own\" title=\"A Crow of His Own\"\u003eA Crow of His Own\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/aggie-and-ben\" title=\"Aggie and Ben\"\u003eAggie and Ben\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/raj-the-bookstore-tiger-spread.jpg?10428825691254913977\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKathleen T. Pelley, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKathleen T. Pelley is the author of Magnus Maximus, A Marvelous Measurer (Farrar Strauss and Giroux), and The Giant King (Child Welfare League of America). Kathleen lives in Greenwood Village, Colorado.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/kathleen-t-pelley\" title=\"Kathleen T. Pelley bio\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Kathleen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaige Keiser, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaige Keiser illustrated \u003ci\u003eThe Little Green Pea\u003c\/i\u003e (Sleeping Bear) and \u003ci\u003eWow, It's a Cow!\u003c\/i\u003e (Cartwheel). She lives in Burke, Virginia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/paige-keiser\" title=\"Paige Keiser bio\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Paige.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBank Street College of Education's Best Children's Books of the Year\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIs Felicity's bookstore big enough for \u003ci\u003etwo\u003c\/i\u003e territorial felines? Raj the golden cat imagines himself a tiger as he prowls the busy bookstore where he \"works\" with owner Felicity, meowing at customers, strutting through storytime and permitting the humans to pet him...occasionally. At night, purring Raj curls up with Felicity in the attic apartment they share over the store. One day, everything changes; store manager Christopher brings persnickety white cat Snowball (who doesn't get along with Christopher's new Labrador puppy) to stay at the story. For a time, a feline feud takes center stage in the store window: Raj tries various hiding places while Snowball usurps his position with customers. Felicity brings out Raj's inner tiger again with a little William Blake, and, similarly, Raj uses a book about India to show Snowball \u003ci\u003eher\u003c\/i\u003e inner tigress. The two can now prowl the store in harmony. The sophisticated narrative, with its nice streak of irony, suits older picture-book audiences; Keiser's watercolor-and-pencil pictures are aptly clever and low-key. Nice nourishment for the blossoming bookworm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRaj, a handsome marmalade cat with a golden coat and chocolate stripes, believes he is a tiger. His owner, Felicity Fotheringham, has given him a real tiger's name and introduces him at storytime as \"our very own bookstore tiger.\" When an employee brings his cat to the bookstore, Snowball quickly becomes the top feline, sprawling and smirking from a child's lap. Worst of all, he says Raj is no tiger, just a plain old kitty-cat. Felicity wisely reads aloud William Blake's tiger poem over and over again, restoring her pet's confidence. The next morning, despite Snowball's hisses and scowls, Raj is his old self again. A visiting author from India calls him a little tiger, and Felicity agrees. With great kindness, Raj shows Snowball a picture of a white tiger in a book, and the two little tigers make the rounds together. Illustrations done in watercolors and colored pencil bring the bookstore and its inhabitants to life. Youngsters will wish they could be part of Felicity's storytime with a marmalade cat in their laps. Raj's self-esteem issues will resonate with youngsters and spark discussions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBayViews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRaj is an orange-striped cat whose owner, Felicity Fotheringham, affectionately calls a tiger. Raj spends his lazy days roaming the bookstore that Felicity owns, greeting customers with a welcoming meow or comfortably taking over children's laps during storytime. That is, until an unwelcome cat, Snowball, enters the picture. Pessimistic Snowball laughs at the idea of Raj thinking he is a tiger and bullies him. After Felicity reads a poem to Raj about tigers from India, he learns how to stand up for himself and even convinces Snowball to follow his lead. The calming watercolors and lively facial expressions help bring the characters to life in this engaging read-aloud story. This book teaches young readers about self-esteem, and although the story shows representations of bullies, the sweet ending will leave children with a comfortable feeling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/raj-the-bookstore-tiger-cvr.jpg?10842754167142619969\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/raj-the-bookstore-tiger-hires.zip?10842754167142619969\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/raj-the-bookstore-tiger-activity-guide.pdf?10842754167142619969\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Activity Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-231-5\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ISBN: 978-1-60734-277-9 PDF\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 4-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e8 x 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]","published_at":"2016-02-24T17:01:00-05:00","created_at":"2016-02-24T16:45:03-05:00","vendor":"Charlesbridge","type":"Children's Book","tags":["Browse by Age_Ages 3-6","Browse by Age_Ages 6-10","Browse by Fiction\/Nonfiction_Fiction","Browse by Format_Early Reader","Browse by Format_Picture Book","Browse by Language_English","Browse by Subject_Animals \u0026 Dinosaurs","Browse by Subject_Concept Books","Browse by Subject_Life Lessons \u0026 Skills","Browse by Subject_Story Time \u0026 Play"],"price":795,"price_min":795,"price_max":795,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":16577524231,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"92315","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Raj the Bookstore Tiger - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":795,"weight":162,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":10,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"978-1-58089-231-5","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/raj-the-bookstore-tiger-cover.jpg?v=1586801628"],"featured_image":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/raj-the-bookstore-tiger-cover.jpg?v=1586801628","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":"Raj the Bookstore Tiger book cover","id":2481930403919,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.833,"height":720,"width":600,"src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/raj-the-bookstore-tiger-cover.jpg?v=1586801628"},"aspect_ratio":0.833,"height":720,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/raj-the-bookstore-tiger-cover.jpg?v=1586801628","width":600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/kathleen-t-pelley\" title=\"Kathleen T. Pelley bio\"\u003eKathleen T. Pelley\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/paige-keiser\" title=\"Paige Keiser bio\"\u003ePaige Keiser\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHear Raj roar!\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeing a bookstore tiger is hard work. There’s much patrolling, and a lot of sitting in laps at story hour, and then there’s sleeping in the window display. But Raj is up to the task. He is fierce and proud—until Snowball comes along. The new cat in the bookstore informs Raj that he’s just a marmalade kitty-cat. Times get tough, then, for the bookstore tiger. But bookstore and Raj owner Felicity, with the help of poet William Blake, knows how to fix things. In turn, with a very special book, Raj is able to fix things with Snowball.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaige Keiser’s quirky, intimate illustrations invite readers to curl up and share a story—with their own tigers or a friend.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/a-crow-of-his-own\" title=\"A Crow of His Own\"\u003eA Crow of His Own\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/aggie-and-ben\" title=\"Aggie and Ben\"\u003eAggie and Ben\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/raj-the-bookstore-tiger-spread.jpg?10428825691254913977\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKathleen T. Pelley, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKathleen T. Pelley is the author of Magnus Maximus, A Marvelous Measurer (Farrar Strauss and Giroux), and The Giant King (Child Welfare League of America). Kathleen lives in Greenwood Village, Colorado.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/kathleen-t-pelley\" title=\"Kathleen T. Pelley bio\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Kathleen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaige Keiser, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaige Keiser illustrated \u003ci\u003eThe Little Green Pea\u003c\/i\u003e (Sleeping Bear) and \u003ci\u003eWow, It's a Cow!\u003c\/i\u003e (Cartwheel). She lives in Burke, Virginia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/paige-keiser\" title=\"Paige Keiser bio\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Paige.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBank Street College of Education's Best Children's Books of the Year\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIs Felicity's bookstore big enough for \u003ci\u003etwo\u003c\/i\u003e territorial felines? Raj the golden cat imagines himself a tiger as he prowls the busy bookstore where he \"works\" with owner Felicity, meowing at customers, strutting through storytime and permitting the humans to pet him...occasionally. At night, purring Raj curls up with Felicity in the attic apartment they share over the store. One day, everything changes; store manager Christopher brings persnickety white cat Snowball (who doesn't get along with Christopher's new Labrador puppy) to stay at the story. For a time, a feline feud takes center stage in the store window: Raj tries various hiding places while Snowball usurps his position with customers. Felicity brings out Raj's inner tiger again with a little William Blake, and, similarly, Raj uses a book about India to show Snowball \u003ci\u003eher\u003c\/i\u003e inner tigress. The two can now prowl the store in harmony. The sophisticated narrative, with its nice streak of irony, suits older picture-book audiences; Keiser's watercolor-and-pencil pictures are aptly clever and low-key. Nice nourishment for the blossoming bookworm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRaj, a handsome marmalade cat with a golden coat and chocolate stripes, believes he is a tiger. His owner, Felicity Fotheringham, has given him a real tiger's name and introduces him at storytime as \"our very own bookstore tiger.\" When an employee brings his cat to the bookstore, Snowball quickly becomes the top feline, sprawling and smirking from a child's lap. Worst of all, he says Raj is no tiger, just a plain old kitty-cat. Felicity wisely reads aloud William Blake's tiger poem over and over again, restoring her pet's confidence. The next morning, despite Snowball's hisses and scowls, Raj is his old self again. A visiting author from India calls him a little tiger, and Felicity agrees. With great kindness, Raj shows Snowball a picture of a white tiger in a book, and the two little tigers make the rounds together. Illustrations done in watercolors and colored pencil bring the bookstore and its inhabitants to life. Youngsters will wish they could be part of Felicity's storytime with a marmalade cat in their laps. Raj's self-esteem issues will resonate with youngsters and spark discussions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBayViews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRaj is an orange-striped cat whose owner, Felicity Fotheringham, affectionately calls a tiger. Raj spends his lazy days roaming the bookstore that Felicity owns, greeting customers with a welcoming meow or comfortably taking over children's laps during storytime. That is, until an unwelcome cat, Snowball, enters the picture. Pessimistic Snowball laughs at the idea of Raj thinking he is a tiger and bullies him. After Felicity reads a poem to Raj about tigers from India, he learns how to stand up for himself and even convinces Snowball to follow his lead. The calming watercolors and lively facial expressions help bring the characters to life in this engaging read-aloud story. This book teaches young readers about self-esteem, and although the story shows representations of bullies, the sweet ending will leave children with a comfortable feeling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/raj-the-bookstore-tiger-cvr.jpg?10842754167142619969\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/raj-the-bookstore-tiger-hires.zip?10842754167142619969\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/raj-the-bookstore-tiger-activity-guide.pdf?10842754167142619969\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Activity Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-231-5\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ISBN: 978-1-60734-277-9 PDF\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 4-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e8 x 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]"}

Raj the Bookstore Tiger

By: Kathleen T. Pelley / Illustrated by: Paige Keiser

Hear Raj roar!

Being a bookstore tiger is hard work. There’s much patrolling, and a lot of sitting in laps at story hour, and then there’s sleeping in the window display. But Raj is up to the task. He is fierce and proud—until Snowball comes along. The new cat in the bookstore informs Raj that he’s just a marmalade kitty-cat. Times get tough, then, for the bookstore tiger. But bookstore and Raj owner Felicity, with the help of poet William Blake, knows how to fix things. In turn, with a very special book, Raj is able to fix things with Snowball.

Paige Keiser’s quirky, intimate illustrations invite readers to curl up and share a story—with their own tigers or a friend.

Maximum quantity available reached.

Kathleen T. Pelley, author

Kathleen T. Pelley is the author of Magnus Maximus, A Marvelous Measurer (Farrar Strauss and Giroux), and The Giant King (Child Welfare League of America). Kathleen lives in Greenwood Village, Colorado.

Read more about Kathleen.


Paige Keiser, illustrator

Paige Keiser illustrated The Little Green Pea (Sleeping Bear) and Wow, It's a Cow! (Cartwheel). She lives in Burke, Virginia.

Read more about Paige.

  • Bank Street College of Education's Best Children's Books of the Year

Kirkus Reviews

Is Felicity's bookstore big enough for two territorial felines? Raj the golden cat imagines himself a tiger as he prowls the busy bookstore where he "works" with owner Felicity, meowing at customers, strutting through storytime and permitting the humans to pet him...occasionally. At night, purring Raj curls up with Felicity in the attic apartment they share over the store. One day, everything changes; store manager Christopher brings persnickety white cat Snowball (who doesn't get along with Christopher's new Labrador puppy) to stay at the story. For a time, a feline feud takes center stage in the store window: Raj tries various hiding places while Snowball usurps his position with customers. Felicity brings out Raj's inner tiger again with a little William Blake, and, similarly, Raj uses a book about India to show Snowball her inner tigress. The two can now prowl the store in harmony. The sophisticated narrative, with its nice streak of irony, suits older picture-book audiences; Keiser's watercolor-and-pencil pictures are aptly clever and low-key. Nice nourishment for the blossoming bookworm.

School Library Journal

Raj, a handsome marmalade cat with a golden coat and chocolate stripes, believes he is a tiger. His owner, Felicity Fotheringham, has given him a real tiger's name and introduces him at storytime as "our very own bookstore tiger." When an employee brings his cat to the bookstore, Snowball quickly becomes the top feline, sprawling and smirking from a child's lap. Worst of all, he says Raj is no tiger, just a plain old kitty-cat. Felicity wisely reads aloud William Blake's tiger poem over and over again, restoring her pet's confidence. The next morning, despite Snowball's hisses and scowls, Raj is his old self again. A visiting author from India calls him a little tiger, and Felicity agrees. With great kindness, Raj shows Snowball a picture of a white tiger in a book, and the two little tigers make the rounds together. Illustrations done in watercolors and colored pencil bring the bookstore and its inhabitants to life. Youngsters will wish they could be part of Felicity's storytime with a marmalade cat in their laps. Raj's self-esteem issues will resonate with youngsters and spark discussions.

BayViews

Raj is an orange-striped cat whose owner, Felicity Fotheringham, affectionately calls a tiger. Raj spends his lazy days roaming the bookstore that Felicity owns, greeting customers with a welcoming meow or comfortably taking over children's laps during storytime. That is, until an unwelcome cat, Snowball, enters the picture. Pessimistic Snowball laughs at the idea of Raj thinking he is a tiger and bullies him. After Felicity reads a poem to Raj about tigers from India, he learns how to stand up for himself and even convinces Snowball to follow his lead. The calming watercolors and lively facial expressions help bring the characters to life in this engaging read-aloud story. This book teaches young readers about self-esteem, and although the story shows representations of bullies, the sweet ending will leave children with a comfortable feeling.

Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-58089-231-5

E-book
ISBN: 978-1-60734-277-9 PDF

Ages: 4-8
Page count: 32
8 x 10