Don’t Wake Up the Tiger by Britta Teckentrup, 2016
(Ages 2 – 5)
We are always looking for great new interactive books for toddlers and this has quickly become a favorite. The opening two-page spread introduces readers to a sleeping tiger with five animals hovering over her.
One by one they attempt to use balloons to pass over the snoring feline. With each crossing, the narrator instructs the reader to perform an action such as petting the tiger’s nose or gently rocking her to lull her back to sleep. Unfortunately, one of the balloons pops and the tiger wakes up allowing children the perfect opportunity to predict what will happen next in the story. Don’t worry, no one gets eaten. Tiger awakens just in time for her surprise birthday party.
The large colorful illustrations make this adorable book perfect for reading aloud to a group of children or snuggling up together at bedtime.
This book also inspired a fun science experiment with my children. After getting our own balloons, my two children and I each picked a small toy to attach to the balloon to see if it would still float. After tying the balloon to a small dinosaur, we all watched as the balloon sank to the ground. We then formed a hypothesis if the other toys would float based on their weight compared to the dinosaur’s. Yup I taught my almost three-year-old the word “hypothesis.” Why not start introducing science terms early? We found a small alligator to be the lightest toy that floated. It was easy, fun, and educational! I love when a good book inspires a family activity!
