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What a load of sh1t that book is. Am I missing something? is it some lofty allegory for something from the 60's?
We were gifted it as a 'classic' and I decided something different was on the cards for the daughter's bedtime story and I've never been so underwhelmed. Which is saying a lot considering the pish I lovingly blab at her every night. Whats the moral? Don't let scroungers wreck your home? I know there's a rich history of grim/inappropriate nursery rhymes and the like, but I couldn't get this one. I actually thought there had been a production error and the book was missing some pages. A million seller too apparently. Mental.
It's a cynical marketing ploy by the tinned tiger food industry.
If Sophie's mum had had a couple of tins in it would have been a different story.
Maybe you could pop it under your coat to insulate your cold, dead heart?
(Thanks Campbell soups)
Maybe you could pop it under your coat to insulate your cold, dead heart?
literally the best use for that book.
I assumed it was the valium induced hallucination of a bored 70s housewife.
I also don’t “get it” but for some reason, (lots of) kids seem to love it - I guess we lose the ability to see stories through a child’s eyes. For them there is no reason whatsoever that a friendly tiger [i]wouldn't[/i] knock on the door and eat all the food in the house and drink every bit of liquid. And all finishing with a slap-up meal in a cafe with sausages and ice cream.
IIRC, somebody on STW works for the publishers and has met the author and confirmed what I always thought to be true, that it’s [i]not[/i] an allegory for Nazi Germany.
It's just an elaborate excuse for a 60's housewife not having the dinner on the table when the man of the house gets home.
Yep. When I read it, I keep thinking there must be some hidden meaning to it and one day it'll pop out at me.
But, nope. I think it's just not a very good book.
Get her this book instead - much more acceptable moral - http://amzn.eu/gJEd5Zr
IIRC, somebody on STW works for the publishers and has met the author and confirmed what I always thought to be true, that it’s not an allegory for Nazi Germany.
The author said exactly the same thing herself. It’s just a story she told her daughter after they had been to the zoo.
I was given a lift last Friday to Bisley to go shooting in a Tiger. It was quite draughty, but also quite warm. That doesn't help much does it 😉
The author said exactly the same thing herself. It’s just a story she told her daughter after they had been to the zoo.
What?! I've been telling my 18 month old that the Tiger represents the Bourgeoisie and Sophie and her mum represent the Proletariat. Now it turns out it's just a story about a hungry Tiger?
At least I can still be sure that "The Pirate Cruncher" *is* about the Miner's Strike.
what I most like about this book is Sophie's Dad sitting on the chair as they tell him a tiger has eaten and drunk everything in the house (including his beer)....the look on his face says it all.
Well, if the Nazi allegory in TTTCFT confounds you . . . wait 'til you get a load of Little Rabbit Foo Foo.
Narcissism, pimped bikes, witchcraft, weaponry, dwarves AND TIGERS!!!!
agreed 'tis crap,
Never tickle a Tiger is better
julia donaldson stuff obvs
I like
The Return of the Jaberwock
& Beowulf the Brave
by Oakley Graham
Thought this was going to be the Sean Lock edition "the tiger who came for a pint"
I liked it. Except the bit about the bloody tiger drinking all the beer, that always seemed a bit off.
It's nicely illustrated and has a Tiger in it. My 2 year old thinks it's brilliant.
He also loves Goodnight Moon. If you don't like the Tiger story then I expect this is another 'classic' that will rile you.
it's a kids book about an imaginary situation, it doesn't need a morality tale. Just read and enjoy it. In fact kids books with a message are invariably crap.
however, sophie's mum is definitely an alcoholic and is blatantly having affairs with the milkman and grocer's boy.
What's wrong with a bit of nonsense now and again? Milligan? Carroll? Lear?
That's all it is. But it's none the worse for it. It's humour through juxtaposition.
I always thought the plot would be immeasurably improved if having eatean all the sandwiches on the plate and drunk all the tea and then looked around the kitchen to see what else he could find, he didn't then decide to eat Sophie and her mum.
What a let down.
Story for children fails to entertain adult. Who'd have thought...
Just be thankful you don't have to read Mr Men stories every night, those go on forever.
Especially Mr Chatterbox. I always try to steer my daughter away from that one.
IIRC, somebody on STW works for the publishers and has met the author and confirmed what I always thought to be true, that it’s not an allegory for Nazi Germany.
What does she know, she only wrote it. We're the ones who read it.
Trust the Tale not the teller.
I always thought it was a bit weird, but in quite a surrealist sort of way.
I did prefer reading [url= https://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Little-Wolves-Big-Bad/dp/1405275030/ ]this [/url]though.
Just be thankful you don't have to read Mr Men stories every night, those go on forever.
I'd rather read Mr Men books than the Lighthouse Keeper's bloody Cat every frigging night.
For a really ace book to read with your kids get Fox in Socks by Dr Seuss. Read out loud it's hilarious, extra points if you read it fast then get your kid to try reading the same bit. Try this....
Let's have a little talk about tweetle beetles....
What do you know about tweetle beetles? Well...
When tweetle beetles fight,
it's called a tweetle beetle battle.
And when they battle in a puddle,
it's a tweetle beetle puddle battle.
AND when tweetle beetles battle with paddles in a puddle,
they call it a tweetle beetle puddle paddle battle.
AND...
When beetles battle beetles in a puddle paddle battle
and the beetle battle puddle is a puddle in a bottle...
...they call this a tweetle beetle bottle puddle paddle battle muddle.
AND...
When beetles fight these battles in a bottle with their paddles
and the bottle's on a poodle and the poodle's eating noodles...
...they call this a muddle puddle tweetle poodle beetle noodle
bottle paddle battle.
AND...
Now wait a minute, Mr. Socks Fox!
When a fox is in the bottle where the tweetle beetles battle
with their paddles in a puddle on a noodle-eating poodle,
THIS is what they call...
...a tweetle beetle noodle poodle bottled paddled
muddled duddled fuddled wuddled fox in socks, sir!
it doesn't need a morality tale.
true, it does need to make some kind of sense. Talking greedy tigers, fine that's not the issue. The ending is piss poor, and doesn't relate in ANY way shape or form to the entire story. I felt sorry for wasting her time it was that bad.
Just be thankful you don't have to read Mr Men stories every night, those go on forever.
we do, in French, as she is half French.
If you think that's bad - try one of Judith Kerr's other ones: 'Mog in the Dark'
It's a stream of consciousness polemic from a cat having an out of body experience.
It suggests that the author was on a therapeutic dose of LSD. Maybe other stuff too.
it does need to make some kind of sense
No it doesn't.
it does have an ending: they bought tiger food in case he came for tea again, but he never did. Then you see a picture of the tiger playing the bugle. makes perfect sense.
Mr Men books, fortunately no longer, we are on Dr Seuss and Roald Dahl at the moment for the eldest. Dr Seuss is particularly excellent, although I would now welcome a change from Green Eggs and Ham.
Maybe you should just stick to the Narnia stuff.
In my house the biggest tension is when the Tiger drinks all Daddy's beer. My children understand what a huge crime that would be.
EDIT : It's surreal nonsense but if you want to read a meaning into it, it's maybe that you shouldn't let someone you know is dangerous into your home, even if they're acting well behaved..
Then you see a picture of the tiger playing the bugle
ah yes. That's cleared it right up. Mods, please delete this thread. Turns out I was wrong all along.
If you think that's bad - try one of Judith Kerr's other ones: 'Mog in the Dark'
We have a bunch of these. Waste of paper.
it does need to make some kind of sense.
It makes perfect sense.
The mercurial and transitory temperament of anthropomorphic tigers is well documented.
Shere Khan was always pissing of for months at a time and nobody knew where he was.
Your anthropomorphic tiger is also famously fond of the kind of vittles normally to be found in your average domestic kitchen setting.
Breakfast cereal is, I believe, one of their favourite meals.
It's a cynical marketing ploy by the tinned tiger food industry.If Sophie's mum had had a couple of tins in it would have been a different story.
This.
however, sophie's mum is definitely an alcoholic and is blatantly having affairs with the milkman and grocer's boy.
And this.
Or it's a story about a tiger coming to tea, because kids love that shit.
No it doesn't.
yes it does. its sh!t.
Or it's a story about a tiger coming to tea, because kids love that shit
the tiger coming to tea is fine, even what it gets up to is fine. The ending is rubbish. The trouble is, you don't see it coming. It's like that moment in Dallas when an entire plot all revealed to be a dream. I nearly thew it out the window in such a rage I was.
Agree 100% - memorably bad, charmless book. I've read a few books to the kids where you think this is so bad it must be some sort of hidden joke, but they're all forgotten titles. For a book like this to endure from the 60s is really strange.
I used to work for the publisher of Tiger Who Came To Tea (and Dr Seuss, amongst many others) and have met Judith Kerr many times.
It's definitively NOT about Nazis. Also Judith is amazing, she's in her 90s, less than 5 foot tall, and loves a drink. Last time I saw her she was necking negronis at an award ceremony.
The book is definitely nonsensical, but as others have said, kids love it. 50th anniversary of the first publication next year, so she's clearly doing something right!
Dude, you should never, ever watch an episode of Adventure Time.
Like, ever.
You'd have a stroke or something.
or Uncle Grampa....or Sanjay and Craig....or The Amazing world of Gumball.
Surreal entertainment is where the kids are at now.
It's a cynical marketing ploy by the tinned tiger food industry.
If Sophie's mum had had a couple of tins in it would have been a different story.
Slightly OT, but just reminded me of this:
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At least it's a step-up from the hungry frigging caterpillar.
the story I heard was that one evening they had an acquaintance for dinner one evening who was a big fat greedy git who kept eating and they had to virtually throw him out, she turned it into a silly story
I'm surprised so many people don't like it, I think it's ace 🙂 way better than the mr men, now they really are poor
Owp !
Dude, you should never, ever watch an episode of Adventure Time.Like, ever.
You'd have a stroke or something.
or Uncle Grampa....or Sanjay and Craig....or The Amazing world of Gumball.
Surreal entertainment is where the kids are at now.
I suspect, you’re like, right on man.
I was raised on things like Vic and Bob from the youngest years owing to my surreal comedy fan older brother, and I loved that then and I love it now. I get the surrealism. This is just a terrible book. Turns out I’m just , like, not with the program.
[url= https://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Night-Stories-Rebel-Girls/dp/014198600X/ ]Good Night Stories for rebel girls[/url] is a nice break from the norm...
Agree 100% - memorably bad, charmless book. I've read a few books to the kids where you think this is so bad it must be some sort of hidden joke, but they're all forgotten titles. For a book like this to endure from the 60s is really strange.
Nail meet head.
The book is definitely nonsensical, but as others have said, kids love it. 50th anniversary of the first publication next year, so she's clearly doing something right!
Indeed she lives in a very nice house. She did write a trilogy, When Hitler stole Pink Rabbit being the first in the series, about her life including her family's escape from Nazi Germany, which is a very good way of introducing your kids to this period of history.
no. you're wrong, it's brilliant. Mog the cat is also good.
Hungry caterpillar is inspired.
only one i've read recently that disappointed was where the wild things are. didn't live up to the hype.
Everyone needs to get in to the Hairy Maclary books!
I fail to see how a kids book can get people so wound up. Out little 'un quite likes it, it doesn't really bother me.
No Flashy, they do not. Hairy Maclary from Donaldsons Dairy mysteriously goes missing when it's my turn to read the bedtime stories
Hairy Maclary rocks. I don't get to read them enough.
Polly Jean pyjama queen was always popular in our house along with billys bucket and the magic shoebox farm.
The old 'classics' like Tiger for tea and the mog stories, and the hungry Caterpillar etc.... Awful.
Half of Julia Donaldson and axel schefflers stuff seems like lazy cashing in on their fame from the good ones.
Aliens love underpants had a good run in our house.
I fail to see how a kids book can get people so wound up. Out little 'un quite likes it, it doesn't really bother me.
I'll let you into a little secret: I wasn't being entirely truthful about how annoyed I was. I still maintain its a terrible children's book, but as you point out if my child likes it I'm all for it.
i thought the same, assumed it was just beyond my level of intellect, Likewise "I want my hat back"
For a satisfying ending i'd recommend....
Some Dogs Do.
When I read it to my Son, I read the Tiger as Brian Blessed. TP Jnr. approves of this. OWP!
Definitely think Julia Donaldson just churns out stuff with little regard for the poor adults having to read out her stuff again and again and again.
Love the work of Jon Klassen though...
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Definitely think Julia Donaldson just churns out stuff with little regard for the poor adults having to read out her stuff again and again and again.
Yeah... But [i]One Ted Falls Out of Bed[/i] is still one of my favourites.
One Ted Falls Out of Bed
Yep!
Jon Klassen is good although they can get a bit wound up with Sam and Dave dig a hole so its not the best for bedtime 🙂
we do, in French, as she is half French
Then you have my utmost sympathy.
Yeah "One Ted Falls Out of Bed" is alright. I also don't mind "The Snail and the whale".
I do enjoy trying to spot where axel as slipped the gruffalo into a drawing in the other books, seen him in Tiddler and in Scarecrows Wedding but still looking in many others.
Noticed several other illustrators doing similar across books too
Agree one Ted is good, think it's played a major part in getting my (just) 2 yo counting to 7 so far.
The elephant and the bad baby, all build up then "oh I've run out of pages... the end".
At least with I want my hat back, there is something for the adult
My son loved it , and laughed like a drain as the tiger ate everything. Children have a different idea of entertainment which appears to be much more incident based than narrative plot. He's now on to Harry Potter with his mum and Roald Dahl with me,big tip "Going Solo" maybe sold in the collections but it isn't suitable for a six year old.
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The Ahlberg's stuff is very good out of the older books - [i]each peach pear plum[/i] was written in the 70s and went down well with our kids.neilnevill - MemberThe old 'classics' like Tiger for tea and the mog stories, and the hungry Caterpillar etc.... Awful.
Half of Julia Donaldson and axel schefflers stuff seems like lazy cashing in on their fame from the good ones.
Roald Dahl with me,big tip "Going Solo" maybe sold in the collections but it isn't suitable for a six year old.
Superb book though. My wife bought a Dahl collection for my 6yo Daughter with Going Solo in it. Right up my street.
Jeeze, I was just typing that I put the Ahlbergs stuff in the same awful bracket.....didn't help that my daughter fond funny bones amazng for months and months...'read it daddy, read it, read' AAAAAARrrrrrrrggggggghhhhh!
The Ahlberg's stuff is very good out of the older books - each peach pear plum was written in the 70s and went down well with our kids.
Peepo is also excellent.
going solo? is that the shorts of his RAF days? yeah, not quite james and giant peach
seen him in Tiddler and in Scarecrows Wedding but still looking in many others.
He's hidden in Stick Man too. And Zogg.
The Oliver Jeffers books were a big hit but essentially anything nonsensical worked - 'TigerTea' was a big favourite (I liked the idea of drinking all the water in the tap), Dr Seuss, Ahlbergs...
DON'T FORGET THE BACON!!!
damn! zog just went back to library and couldnt see gruff in it!
Hasn't David walliams ripped the tiger story off with one of his books but used an elephant instead..
now zeuss i like, although oddly i didnt as a kid. love reading if i ran the circus.....daughter? hates it. poo
peepo? shoot me now
Hasn't David walliams ripped the tiger story off with one of his books but used an elephant instead..
Julia Donaldson ripped off "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes. On the one hand that annoys me, on the other hand it's one of the best read-out-loud bits of writing ever.